


Sword Art Online ~ Tales of a Dragonpath

by blackbutterfly13



Series: Sword Art Online ~ Tales of a Dragonpath / Sky Stories [1]
Category: Sword Art Online (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:53:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 41
Words: 114,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23897812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackbutterfly13/pseuds/blackbutterfly13
Summary: Kirito is a simple boy from a village near the capital of Earlindon. Long ago, the head of the most powerful mage family in the land lead the people in a fierce battle against the last three dragons in this world and vanquished them. Since then the country was a peaceful and beautiful place, the mighty dragons extinct forever... but are they really...?
Series: Sword Art Online ~ Tales of a Dragonpath / Sky Stories [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1722496
Comments: 24
Kudos: 29





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> So... recently a crazy idea popped into my mind - translating a book I wrote years ago and transforming it into an Sword Art Online fanfic... The idea might be horrible, it might be good, I won't be the judge of that.  
> Warning: this story will have absolutely nothing to do with canon and there will be none of the pairings you are used to (there hardly will be any pairings). Some characters might get a little OOC along the way, but I will try to keep them as authentic as possible.  
> I don't own Sword Art Online or any of its characters. I'm not that awesome. I don't own Dungeons & Dragons or anything related to it either.  
> ~  
> There is a resemblance to some other story in a few chapters around the quarter point...  
> I don't even exactly remember what it was, but I've read something many years ago (around middle school)... I don't recall if it was a fanfic or some novel I randomly looked through in the bookstore, but there was this story about growing wings, learning to fly... and that was basically what sparked this whole idea. It got stuck in my mind so much that I wrote 5 or so chapters based on that one story... and after some time my imagination kicked in and created the 40+ chapters around it.  
> Which is why I would like to thank the author (whoever that was) of that old story (whatever that was) and say I'm eternally grateful... yup, sounds ridiculous, but I'm being honest here. It was a wonderful experience that changed a lot for me and allowed me to share this joy with you all ;)

"Kirito! Kirito wait!"

„If you're gonna dawdle like this, we're never going to make it back before sunset, and you know far too well, what my dad is going to do to us then!" I stopped urging my younger friend for a moment, to hop over a tree root poking out of the ground on the path in front of me. My unmanageable hair got in my eyes once again, obscuring the view of the fallen leaves and needles, shining golden in the last sun rays that had no trouble getting to the bottom of the forest through the almost bald trees.

But despite the omen of getting put over the knee, she seemed to be having quite a bit of fun. "But it was your idea to go and find the herd, so you should get the most of it!" she yelled after me, mimicking my little jump as she followed. Even without looking back, I knew she had a wide smile on her face.

"And who was it that didn't give me a moments peace because of 'the beautiful deer she saw in the morning'?!" I wanted to turn around for a second to stick my tongue out at her, but stopped in my tracks.  
There was a noise, a rustle too unnatural and too contrasting against the sounds of the forest, to be simply caused by the wind playing with the branches. I immediately stopped in the middle of the path, causing a little cloud of dust to raise from it, and looked around. In the shadows of the trees I could barely make out the silhouettes of men. Armed men.

"Kirito!" from the panic in her voice, it was obvious, that she spotted them as well.

One glance around was enough to realize that I was surrounded. But even so, the first and only thought on my mind was her safety.

"Alice run!"

"But...!"

"Please listen to me at least this once and run!"

I wasn't able to say anything more. I heard some strange noise behind my back and suddenly, I couldn't breathe. The last thing I heard was Alice's voice, so heartbreakingly desperate that I felt a sharp pain in my chest.

"Kirito!"


	2. The Blank Memories

„Young master, your father is calling you."

I curiously turned my gaze away from the page of my book and glanced down. Beneath the willow stood a young maiden, as always clad in her long pale-red dress and snowwhite apron. I smiled lightly. "I'll be right there Lisbeth, I just want to finish this chapter..."

"The king said now," she cut me off, putting her fists on her slender waist. "I'm not going to take a scolding because of your dragons again."

I sighed and loudly closed the book, wanting to emphasize my annoyance. I knew though, that if I didn't obey now, she will be even worse than my father later. Despite the considerable height, I jumped down and landed gracefully in front of her. Something golden passed my view and I saw a tiny leaf, that I must have ripped from a twig on my way down, floating peacefully to the ground at Lisbeth's feet. I picked it up, admired the beautiful color for a moment and handed it to her with an apologetic smile. Not waiting for a reaction, I headed towards the castle.

As I went, I glanced at the tall windows of the throne room and the pennants above the towers, hanging limply, as if tired of flapping in the late summer sun. I didn't like these "visits"... Sure, I owed obedience and devotion to the king and father, but in my eyes he was a rather cruel ruler. True enough, the people of our country had nothing to complain about, he cared about their welfare and was just. But at the same time he was ruthlessly intolerant to any crime or disobedience, and every revolt, however tiny and insignificant, was drowned in unnecessary puddles of blood. I didn't have the right to oppose him (at least for now), and I didn't really have the courage to. Ever since I remembered, he always treated me rather coldly and gruffly. And I remembered so little...

It happened two years ago. While hunting in the forest with my father, I fell from the horse and hit my head. Three days after I awoke with a complete blackness in my mind. I lost my memory. At least that's how Lisbeth described it to me, I for my part couldn't even recall having a horse. Everything before my awakening has suddenly become one big black hole... which made me feel alienated and completely out of place, even though this castle should feel like home to me...

Sometimes I felt like I started to remember things, some unfamiliar and yet familiar scenes rushed through my stirred mind. Shreds of some thoughts whirled in my head, but I wasn't able to catch any of them, wasn't able to stop even one, despite all effort... all I gained from all that strain was always only a massive headache. And an unpleasant anxiety, sometimes fear, which felt incredibly stupid, because I didn't even really know what I was fearing, couldn't even name the feeling rising in my chest...

Drowned in those thoughts, I didn't even realize when I traversed a few of the castle's corridors and arrived at the massive throne room door. I shook my head slightly, took a deep breath and gave the dark carved wood a knock. The two guardians standing on either side of it never even looked at me.

"Come in," came the slightly irritated voice from the other side.

I pushed one wing of the door just so far, that I could slip through and entered the vast room, well lit thanks to the windows, that reached from the floor almost all the way to the ceiling. It was pleasantly cool inside. The castle's walls were so thick, that even the most intense summer sun didn't stand much chance.

On the opposite end of the room stood the beautiful, sculptured throne, decorated with golden ornaments and a velvet seat. In it, tall and proud, clad in peacock blue and gold, sat king Oberon, his face almost emotionless if not for the hint of boredom. On a small table to his right I noticed a considerable pile of parchment and a golden goblet, it's stem shaped like an eagle's claws.

I finally stopped in front of the throne and straightened my back a little. "You wanted to see me, father?" I tried my best to hide the indifference in my voice.

"Indeed," the king graced me with a short glance, before his eyes returned to the document he was holding in his slender fingers. "The day of your birthday is approaching Kazuto. Your seventeenth birthday."

I only nodded, so he continued, his voice very clear, echoing only slightly below the far ceiling: "At this age you should finally start properly learning how to rule this country, not just relying on what you accidentally hear in this hall or while you're eavesdropping outside the conference room." I tried not to grin, but he instantly ruined my mood. "One day Earlindon will fall under your rule and I don't want it to become a ruin after a few months. Which is why, starting tomorrow, you will be attending daily lessons with my advisors. Make sure you arrive in the library right after breakfast tomorrow."

"But..."

"But?" the irritation on his oblong face made it clear, that he won't tolerate any objections.

I lowered my gaze, staring at the deep green of the carpet. "As you wish, father."

I left the throne room barely holding back the urge to slam the door behind me. I didn't have anything against learning. Even I stuck my nose into books that weren't stories about knights and dragons from time to time. What made me mad was the perspective of spending a lot of time with my father's advisors, particularly one of them. Chief counsel Chudelkin may have been a well educated man, but in my eyes he was just an old fat grump, who liked nothing better than lecturing me about manners and my duties towards my father.

On the way to my chamber I bumped into Lisbeth, carrying a basket of fruit. Sticking out of the pocket of her apron was a golden leaf. I couldn't help but smile, my mood lightening a little.

"Lisbeth, would you be so kind and bring me some tea to my room after you're done? We can have it together if you can manage a small break in your duties."

A smile bloomed on her cute, freckled face. "I'll be happy to." She bowed slightly and continued on her way down the corridor.

* * *

„ _Because Loneliness which never smiles_

_Becomes a habit, and not a Choice you made…"_


	3. The Lost Soul

Autumn greeted the kingdom with golden days and silvery nights. Unfortunately the former were extremely boring for me. Every day after breakfast I spent several hours in the dusty library, where I was being observed by the portrait of Earlindon's first king - Ethelred, and the watchful eyes of my father's advisors. Lot of ink has been spilled about politics, and the shelves seemed to bend not from the weight of the books, but from the script inside, as if the letters were cast from lead, and not written with a feather...

After lunch I usually attended fencing or advanced horse riding lessons, including using a bow in the saddle. It was a really pleasant change, besides, it was better to wreak my anger on the straw targets, than on the advisors directly. Although I had to admit, I imagined the mannequins having Chudelkin's face quite often... In the evening I visited him in his office in the corner of the northern wing of the castle, to look through some official records and reports, that were apparently necessary for someone's happiness, but only raised my blood pressure. Only a few first words of his lectures were enough to make my gaze drift outside the window, at the green of the ancient trees, interspersed with gold and whispering to me, tempting with the freedom of fresh air caught between them. At first I tried the strategy of pretending to listen to him, and instead fantasizing about my books and my beloved willow in the gardens, but that worked well for maybe two days. After that came remorse. I knew this was for my own good, besides, I was aware, that Chudelkin was sharper, than his looks suggested, and would soon notice, that I made no progress at all.

Drinking tea with Lisbeth at the end of the day became a habit. Spending time with her was the most relaxing activity available to me in this castle. She was always kind and helpful, and her cheerful attitude and ramblings about her dream of wanting to become a blacksmith followed by complains, that no one was willing to let her try, were simply heartwarming. She also liked to tell tales, legends I supposedly knew, but forgot. Stories of the times before Earlindon even existed, of times before the silence, of the dragons I so admired, who concluded alliances with humans one spring, only to break them in the next... Even about elves, who supposedly still lived in our country, but were more rare than snow in the fifth month of the year.

Sometimes I asked her to tell me things about myself, my past and childhood. She never refused, but I noticed a certain uneasiness in her answers, and her shoulders seemed to slump a little, her cheerfulness dimmed. That somehow made me think, that maybe she was lying... but why would she do that? Otherwise she was always so open and frank, so why then? Eventually I settled with the thought, that maybe it connected to some unpleasant memories of her own, so I stopped pressing.

One evening, tired, but in a surprisingly good mood, I headed for the gardens. This morning I asked Lisbeth to bring the tea there, so that we could delight in maybe one of the last warm days of the year. To my surprise, beneath the willow I found only a pile of leaves left there by the gardener. Assuming that she forgot the appointment due to too many duties, and was waiting for me in my room as usual, I made my way back into the castle.

However in my chamber I found only my black cat Pina, curled up in a ball on one of my pillows, sleeping soundly. Feeling an unpleasant sting of unease, I directed my steps towards the kitchen, where Lisbeth usually spent most of her day.

On my way there I bumped right into Chudelkin.

"The king wishes to see you, young master," the chief counsel announced, before I even opened my mouth.

I blinked a few times, then gave him only a silent nod, and headed right for the throne room. I really hoped, that this had nothing to do with Lisbeth.

When I arrived at the carved throne, father maintained his silence for a few moments. When I couldn't take it anymore, I decided to start the conversation. "Do you know where the maid Lisbeth is, father?"

"She's in the kitchen. She isn't allowed to leave, except for rest in the maiden's rooms."

I was so surprised, I stopped watching my tone. "What... why? What did she do?"

"She was distracting you from your studies." His gaze was serious, with a hint of annoyance. "You are supposed to learn, and not waste your time chatting with that girl."

The disrespect in his voice almost made my blood boil. What stopped me from snapping were his next words: "Your birthday is in one week and I don't want you to make a fool of yourself at the festivities in the city."

"Festivities... city?" I stammered.

"Yes, the townspeople want to celebrate their future king coming of age. Didn't I tell you that?"

"No..."

"Well, now you know. And now return to your studies."

"Yes father..."

I left the throne room, feeling a bit numb. At the last moment I noticed Chudelkin, entering through a smaller entrance on the western side of the hall. _Playing a secret informant, huh..._ I thought to myself.

I returned to my room and flopped onto the bed, earning myself a dissatisfied snort from Pina. I didn't pay her much attention though. I was furious. It wasn't fair. I always spent most of the day studying, and met Lisbeth only, when I was done. There was no way she would distract me from anything. And now the only pleasure I had after hours of mental pain was taken away on a whim...

The only thing that lightened my mood a little was the perspective of visiting the city. I've never been there, since it was forbidden for me to leave the castle. Or I have been, but didn't remember... But from what I've heard, Ioreth was a beautiful capital, full of people, stores and taverns. For so long I've wished to see how normal people lived, walk between them and for once feel like a normal youngster, not like the king's son. Maybe there, among ordinary people, I would at last find some peace of heart. Not like here, isolated and alien...

I sighed, hugging my head to the pillow. Was it even possible that I would someday feel better again? That I will feel like I'm at a real home, with someone who would be a real family to me...?

I tried remembering the face of my late mother, but after a few moments the awful headache returned.

I closed my eyes and stopped thinking about it.

* * *

„ _Isn't there anyone trying to find me...?_

_Won't somebody come take me Home…?"_


	4. The False Reality

The day has finally come. From the early morning the whole castle was incredibly busy, although a better description would be, that it was thrown into chaos. The servants were preparing the ball room for the banquet, the cooks were busy with the feast and maidens decorated every possible nook of the castle, from the gardens all the way up to the towers. The corridors, halls and even balconies suddenly burst with color with fresh and dried flowers and ribbons.

In the meantime I was being tortured by two older maids, who couldn't decide what outfit suited me best and would present itself well at the festivities.

"Red doesn't go well with young master's hair... I think dark green would be best," said one of them, holding three shirts at once.

"Dark blue might be better," chirped the other one, handing her a fourth piece.

"Oh yes, it would go perfectly with young master's eyes. But this embroidery looks a bit strange..."

That did it. I summoned the loveliest smile that I could manage after half an hour of female jabbering and politely showed them the door. After making sure, that none of them peeked through it, I picked what I liked the most in about three seconds and changed. Another thirty seconds and I was standing in front of the tall mirror, appraising my work.

The black, simple trousers were light and comfortable, as was the black shirt, its long, flared sleeves adding to the elegance. At the same time the delicate dark-blue and silver thread adornments prevented the outfit from being banal, giving it a festive touch. Lastly, I added a leather belt with silvery leaf ornaments and gave my reflection a pale smile.

Some people said I looked "princely" - handsome but a little feminine at the same time. My dark eyes were always at least a little covered by the messy black bangs, and despite having a touch of mischievousness, they were always kind of pure and gentle, making me look irritatingly innocent. My scrawny silhouette seemed even thinner due to the color of the clothes, but in combination with my pale skin it kind of added to the royal elegance.

I looked far better, than when the maids would have dressed me, but something about my appearance still seemed odd to me, misplaced and unfit. I sighed and gently stroked Pina, who was observing me all the time with curiosity, as if confused, what the point of all that preening was.

"I'm sorry that I won't take you with me Pina," I whispered, scratching behind one ear. "But I promise, that when I return, we will go somewhere together, alright?"

She gave me a loud, content purr, and I smiled at her one last time before leaving the room.

During lunch, which most of the important personages of the land, invited by my father attended, I was barely able to sit still. The company, the cheerful music and delicious food were completely unimportant to me. The only thing that mattered, was that when I left this hall, I would go to the capital city. Time passed almost painfully slowly as I was being introduced to countless officials and ladies, that accompanied them, some of which threw me mischievous glances every now and then.

And then my patience got rewarded at last.

The guests poured out of the castle around the time, when the sun reached its zenith. Walking foremost with my father, I cast an instinctive glance at the castle's southern wall. In one of the windows I spotted Lisbeth, waving to me with what looked like a hint of pride on her face, like a pleased older sister. I discreetly waved back. Despite everything I've been through, right now I felt happy. As I stepped into one of the carriages, she smiled once more and disappeared.

I kept my eyes outside the window the whole ride. I felt my father watching me in silence, but I was too fascinated to care.

We passed between two narrow lines of grassy slopes called the Spruce Hills, then a few golden wheat fields, most of them already harvested. Behind a stone bridge crossing a small, crystal clear brook, the road went into a gentle curve, the landscape was covered by trees for maybe one minute, and suddenly I started seeing the first buildings of the city. They looked so tiny in comparison to the castle, and most of them had little gardens, already empty and prepared for the winter. I also spotted some beautiful, branchy trees and immediately started assessing how far up I could go, and where the best seat for admiring the landscape would be. I had that habit ever since I could remember...

The first signs of festivities started to appear soon as well. The bushes and fences surrounding the houses were colorfully decorated with ribbons and lanterns, that were surely supposed to light our way back, when night arrived. What interested me the most though, were the people, so different from the ones I was used to. Their clothing was simple, the faces marked with troubles of another nature than the ones I knew. And yet, I felt like I was familiar with them in some way, like there was something connecting us...

Feeling an unpleasant sting of undeterminable nature in my chest, I finally turned away from the window.

When we arrived at a spacious plaza in what must have been the heart of the capital, Oberon stepped out of the carriage and led me straight to a wooden podium, from which he wanted to address the gathered crowd. Five royal guards in light armor followed close behind.

I climbed the three wooden steps, took my place at my father's right, and suddenly got a much better view of the plaza. It was vast, surrounded by a wreath of buildings, and at this very moment, filled to the brim with people. I don't think I've ever seen this many excited faces crowded in the same place before. But what shook me more was the odd sensation, that I knew this place, it seemed so familiar, like I've seen it already somewhere in the past, and then forgot... and when the crowd started cheering, it stunned me all the way into numbness. I didn't understand much of what my father said, when the people fell silent again. I felt dizzy, almost nauseous...

To my relief, the speech was soon over, and we stepped down from the platform.

"Are you all right?" I heard the king's voice, seeming a bit distant. "You're pale."

"Yes I... I'm fine," I managed. "I just need some fresher air, I think..."

"Take a little walk then, try talking to people. I need to meet someone before the main ceremony. Make sure to be there on time."

"As you wish, father..."

When he vanished from sight, I made my way towards a little grove of pine interlaced with beech at the southern border of the plaza. I was in no mood to talk to anyone, even though I was looking forward to meeting the people earlier... I barely even noticed the two soldiers, that followed me like shadows.

I sat down on a mossy stone under one of the trees and closed my eyes for a moment. The buzzing in my ears slowly started to fade, but I still didn't understand what just happened. I leaned back against the soft bark and took a few deep breaths. I heard the soft hum of insects in the undergrowth, the murmur of conversations nearby, the occasional louder laughter... Only a few steps away people were singing, delighting in the festive day, I even heard some instruments. But here...

I glanced towards the guardians standing between the trees, and stared for a moment, not yet really understanding where they even came from. A delicate gust of wind snatched a few dry leaves and cast them at my feet to my right. I looked at them, and suddenly spotted a shadow in the corner of my eye...

I turned slightly. Behind one of the thicker trunks stood a girl my age, maybe a year younger. Her long, blonde hair was tied behind her back, reaching all the way to her waist. It shone beautifully in the golden sun rays, that broke through the remnants of leaves up above. There was something in her azure eyes, that pinned me into place, making me unable to move.

She seemed... shocked? I wasn't sure, but she stared at me with an expression of pure disbelief, and I thought I saw a glint of tears in her eyes. I couldn't fathom a reason for that...

After a very long moment, her pale lips moved slightly, and I heard a faint whisper: "Kirito...?"

My vision turned black for a brief moment. That strange word, that I've never heard before, started echoing in my mind... but... was it really unfamiliar? It plucked a string somewhere deep in my memory, and the girl suddenly didn't look like a stranger to me anymore. A gentle breeze played with my hair and brought to me a familiar scent of autumn, moss and leaves moulding after a recent rain... I started feeling dizzy again...

Eventually, even to the not so bright soldiers, it became clear, that something was wrong. They stepped closer, hands on the hilts of their swords.

"Is everything all right, young master?" I heard one of them asking.

The fog before my eyes cleared a little, but I still wasn't able to say a word. Instead, the other guardian glared at the mysterious girl, still standing behind the tree, and growled at her: "What do you want here? Get..."

I suddenly regained my senses. "Leave her alone," I said quietly.

"But... young master, who is this?"

"I have no idea, but if you dare to touch her, I will see that you land in the dungeons for the rest of the week..."

The two soldiers mumbled in understanding and retreated a bit, but stayed close. I turned to the stranger again. We looked each other in the eyes for a few moments, before she took a hesitant step in my direction. Then another. I didn't move a bit, as if the feeling of familiarity nailed me down to the rock I was sitting on. She raised her hand slightly...

At this very moment, four silhouettes appeared at the edge of the grove and I suddenly heard the annoyed voice of the king: "What is the meaning of this? Kazuto, the ceremony is about to begin, what are you still doing here?"

The girl immediately turned and darted away like a frightened doe. I followed the beautiful blond hair with my gaze for a brief moment, before turning to face my father. "I'm coming..."

I couldn't stop thinking about this encounter. The festive music was floating away somewhere beside me, the comedians didn't even exist. The only thing on my mind was trying to figure out where I've seen this girl before, attempting to assign her appearance somewhere, where it made sense. I could still hear that one word that fell from her lips. I didn't even care about the headache anymore, I just wanted to know what was going on...

I stayed like this until the evening, when we returned to the castle, escorted by the last, faint glow of the sun. I barely registered my father's command to prepare for the banquet and retreated to my chamber. I sat down on the satin bedsheets and started to mindlessly play with the flared sleeves of my shirt. I completely lost track of time.

I came to my senses upon hearing a soft knock on the door.

After a faint "Come in", Lisbeth entered the room.

"The king is asking if you are ready, young master..." her voice faltered, when she saw my expression. She dropped all manners of officiality and came closer, concern evident on her face. "Are you alright Kazuto? You're so pale..."

I thankfully welcomed the more friendly and warm tone we sometimes used, when we were alone and had room to breathe. It calmed me down a little. "Liz... could you tell my father, that I won't be attending the banquet? I feel horrible..."

"Are you sick? Maybe I should get the medic..."

I shook my head slightly, trying not to make the headache worse. "No, it's fine... I just... think I had too much excitement for one day... I just need some rest..."

She was silent for a moment, as if she wasn't sure I really knew what I was saying. "I will bring you some herb tea..." she finally said. "That should help a little."

I managed a small smile and nodded. She answered with a reassuring smile of her own and left silently. I slowly stood up and took a few steps towards the balcony, returning to my thoughts. The tree tops outside were a bloody gold, but then shifted to silver briefly and turned navy blue at last. And I still couldn't get her out of my mind...

After some time Lisbeth returned with a porcelain cup and an information, that my father ordered me to unconditionally come down to the banquet, which made my irritation reach its peak. I quickly drank the tea, thanked my worried friend, and after briefly checking the state of my clothes, headed down to the ball room.

During the banquet I didn't even touch the delicacies that appeared on the tables. I felt like I wouldn't last until the end if I did. I didn't say much, practically nothing, and the encouragements of my father to ask one of the ladies for a dance were left unnoticed. Even if I felt better, I would have rather run away from some of them to the opposite end of the castle...

When the world outside turned completely black, and only little stars sparkled like tiny jewels on the vast canvas called sky, I was finally allowed to return to my chamber. Upon entering it, I immediately threw myself on the bed, not even caring that I wore festive clothing.

Before I could fall asleep though, I was once again visited by Lisbeth. It was getting really late, and the only light in the room was the glow of the fireplace, and the little candle, that she brought with her. She took a hesitant seat in the chair on the right side of the bed, between it and the door.

"Something is troubling you..." she started softly. "You know you can tell me. Maybe I can help."

"I'm not sure if anyone is able to, but..." I hesitated for a second, "maybe if you could answer me one question..."

"I'll do my best."

"Does the word 'Kirito' ring any bells to you? If so, what does it mean?"

Lisbeth didn't answer right away. She just stared at me for a while, like she just saw a ghost. I started to think that maybe I unintentionally said something inappropriate, and was ready to apologize, when she suddenly did something I least expected in this situation.

She started crying.

"Lisbeth..." I immediately sat up, panicked. "What happened? Liz please... did I say something wrong? I'm sorry..."

She shook her head rapidly, covering her mouth with a hand. It took her a good minute to be able to control her voice again.

"If the king learns about this... he forbade to speak about it... But it's too late now, you will find out eventually..." she took a few deep breaths, as if preparing for something horrible, something she feared for a long time. "You see... Kazuto is the name that was given to you, when you were brought here two years ago... Kirito... that is your real name..."

* * *

„ _When Darkness is upon your door…_

_And you feel that you can't take it anymore…_

_Let me be the one you call…"_


	5. The Outreached Hand

„What...?" my voice was barely a whisper. Her words seemed so impossible and yet... I felt like I knew it. I knew for a long time, just never allowed those thoughts to ripe. "My real name...? What do you mean by 'when I was brought here'? Does that mean that I'm not the king's son? And the reason for my memory loss was not the drop from a horse?"

She cast her eyes down and nodded faintly.

I fell back onto my pillows, my head starting to spin again. For the first time I dared to think about this possibility seriously. The absurd suddenly started to make sense. Some memories began to pass through the fog in my mind again, but this time there were clearer, more intense. When I closed my eyes in fear, I thought I saw a forest, a small village and silhouettes of people between them...

This flood of images was suddenly disrupted by a tiny sound coming from the balcony. I opened my eyes and looked in that direction. Lisbeth did the same.

Between the light curtains dancing in the delicate breeze that came inside stood the girl from the grove. The light of the moon, that has just barely risen, made her seem like an illusion. Normally, I would have immediately jumped off the bed and called the guards, but now...

The "stranger" took a few steps inside and looked at me with what seemed to be sadness. "So Itsuki was right..." grief sounded in her beautiful, chime-like voice. "You weren't killed, you were kidnapped and lost your memory..."

I couldn't take it anymore.

"Who are you...?" I asked, almost desperate.

"So you even forgot me...?" I saw tears in her eyes again, like my words were too cruel for her.

I shakily stood up and approached her slowly, feeling like a moth flying to a flame, not really knowing what I was doing. But instinct took over everything, my feelings included. I hesitantly raised my hands, and put them on the girl's shoulders. I looked in those azure orbs, watched closely for a second...

And suddenly everything in my mind became breathtakingly clear, I practically felt my eyes shining in the darkness, as if someone just dispersed a spell of blindness from them.

"Alice...?" I whispered. It was hard to believe in the possibility of forgetting _her_.

She raised her head slightly, a smile blooming on her face. "You do remember!"

With a delighted laugh she swung her arms around my neck and fell into my arms, accidentally toppling me back on the bed. I had a complete chaos in my head, but didn't care anymore. I finally knew who I was and where I belonged, though all of it came back so suddenly, that I felt the headache returning again. And it was all thanks to the stubbornness of this girl, who just started to cry in my arms.

That wonderful moment was terminated by Lisbeth. "Be quiet, I beg you, if someone hears us, we will all be in a ridiculous amount of trouble."

We fell silent instantly. I sat up, still embracing Alice, and took a few deep breaths. "So you knew about it all this time..." it was hard to stop my voice from trembling.

"Yes... I'm so sorry, but I..."

"I know," I gave her an understanding smile. "But now is not the time for explanations. We have to get away from here. That includes you, because if my father... no wait, if the king learns about this, you will be hanged. Maybe literally..." Her face paled, and I suddenly felt guilty about scaring her, so I rushed with my next words, trying to sound calm. "Once we are out and safe, you can tell us everything you know, alright?"

She smiled weakly and nodded. She seemed kind of stunned by the energy, that suddenly started radiating from me. Sure enough, I don't think I ever showed much of it, while living here for the past two years...

I turned to my old friend. "Alice... thank you. I have no idea what would have happened to me, if it weren't for you..."

She smiled and wiped the rest of the tears away, sitting on the bed more comfortably to give me some space. "I couldn't just leave you like that, after I saw you there. I was so stupid to not believe in Itsuki's prophecy from the very start..."

"So that's why you came to the capital..."

She nodded. "Nobody wanted to believe him, we all lost hope long ago. But then I decided, that no harm can come from checking, and I didn't have anything to lose, so... I will have to apologize to him later. We all will have to."

"Alright, you can tell me the details later. For now we have to figure out how to get out of here. The biggest problem are the guards..." I blinked, suddenly realizing something. "Hang on, there are guards outside. How in the world did you even get here?"

"You've been living here for two years and you don't know? Your night guard here is rubbish, every drunk could get inside and pay you a visit. Besides, the guards themselves seemed, like they had some nice party this evening."

I laughed silently. She was always like that, every common sense lost, doing things no one else dared. "They actually might have. But jokes aside, we can probably leave through the balcony, but it would be a problem if you didn't return to the maiden's rooms Lisbeth..."

"I will go to the kitchen and make sure someone sees me on the way to my room. I share it with old Kristya, and she's always sleeping like a stone at this hour, so she won't be a problem. I'll wait a bit and sneak out into the gardens."

I grinned. She would have been an incredible companion on our childhood escapades. If only I've known her for more than two years. "Alright, we will wait for you, let's say... under my willow."

"Got it," she smiled, visibly more calm now, which surprised me. She was about to leave behind everything she knew. Maybe she was like me, never really feeling, like her heart belonged to this place.

I waited until she left, and looked at Alice once more. I had to hold back my tears, as I hugged her tightly. "Thank you..." I whispered. "I mean it, thank you so much..."

She patted me gently on the back. "Let's cuddle later, we don't want to make Lisbeth wait."

We went out to the balcony and I leaned over the balustrade, it's supports shaped like blooming flowers. Sure enough there were plenty of vines and sculptured decorations on the castle's walls, to get a good grip on and safely go up or down. But still...

"I'll go first. That way I can catch you if something goes wrong."

"No way, I'm going first," she opposed before I even finished the sentence. I raised my eyebrows, noticing a hint of red on her cheeks. My gaze slipped down a little. She was wearing a dress, simple and long...

"Right... you go first."

I turned my gaze away as she lifted the blue hem and skillfully climbed down. It was like she didn't stop practicing that, even when I disappeared from her life two years ago. I soon followed her and we plunged into a nearby bush. I moved the twigs a little and scanned the surroundings in search for the guards.

Two of them were warming themselves by a metal basket with gleaming charcoals, that dimly lit the courtyard by the gate. Another two were watching the path, that circled the castle around the east side. Though maybe "watching" was not the right word. One of them was leaning sleepily on his halberd, listening to the other, who was expressing his awe for one of today's female guests, using a not very noble tongue.

"Say, Alice..." I whispered, "how exactly did you get here? It couldn't have been through the gate."

"Not the gate, the fence."

"Are you kidding me, the fence is more than two meters tall."

"I'll show you, follow me."

We silently slipped out of our hiding and, hugging the wall, headed towards the back of the gardens. The moon's light was dimmed, a few days past full moon, which deepened the shadows and made our unnoticed passage easier. It was rather unlikely, that any of the guards could stop us at the moment, but who knew what drunks were capable of...

"Your guards somehow hardly ever make it to this point," said Alice, when we arrived at the willow. I was surprised, that she led me straight to the point, where I was supposed to lead her to.

"And you just jumped over the fence like that? And in that dress?"

"To be precise, I 'jumped' through here," she carefully moved back some juniper branches that looked like black flames in the darkness. She revealed a hole in the fence, big enough for an adult to fit through.

I frowned, looking at the metal bars, jutting out in a kind of funny way in all directions. "But you didn't do that, right?"

"Of course not, it was already here, when I looked for a possibility to get in."

"That can't be, I was sitting up on this tree here almost every day, it should be perfectly visible from above. And I'm sure that hole wasn't there."

"Maybe it was, but you mixed something up because of the memory loss?"

"Maybe..."

I stepped closer to the fence and examined the bars closely, trying to remember if I maybe did see the hole earlier after all... I involuntarily reached out and touched one of the bars at the bending point.

It was warm.

I turned around, wanting to inform Alice about this, when I heard her saying: "Look, I think she's coming."

I followed her gaze. In the western part of the gardens, drowned in the massive shadow of the castle, I spotted a tall figure, clad in a long, black robe. The shoulders were broad, the face covered by a hood, and the movements not at all ladylike. A chill run down my spine. That definitely wasn't Lisbeth.

I glanced back at the opening in the fence and, feeling an unpleasant foreboding, grasped Alice's sleeve. When she looked at me, confused by the sudden shift in behavior, I put a finger to my lips and pointed up, to the tree crown. She nodded and we climbed the branches, trying to cause as little rustle of the dry leaves as possible. Hugging the tree's trunk, we started observing the black figure.

The stranger crossed the gardens soundlessly and came to a stop right under the willow. We held our breaths. The figure looked around, as if it could sense, but was unable to locate us. I still didn't see the face, but the silhouette was definitely masculine. At last, the stranger slipped through the hole in the fence and disappeared in the bushes, causing only a delicate whisper of the twigs.

We shared a look. Without a word we agreed, that we would stay where we were until Lisbeth arrived. Each second seemed longer than the last, and I couldn't stop glancing at the opening, fearing, that the black figure might return...

Finally Lisbeth appeared at the far corner of the castle. This time I was sure it was her, I knew her too well, to confuse her with somebody else. When she was merely a few meters away from the willow, we jumped down.

She almost jumped too, but up. "Really?" she whispered, trying to hide the alarm in her voice. She held a small bundle in her hands. "I was worried that maybe someone caught you, and you are playing pranks..."

I didn't want to waste time on explanations. "Let's go, quickly. If someone notices, that I'm not there, soon the whole castle will be awake..." That wasn't the only reason I wanted to leave as fast as possible though. The appearance of that stranger left me with a cold discomfort. I felt like it was the foreshadow of something bad, and... like this figure was somehow familiar to me...

We slipped through the opening one by one, me shoving Lisbeth forward, preventing her from asking questions about the state of the fence. Already outside of the castle's grounds, I once again touched one of the bars, but it was cold... I shook my head and quickly followed my companions.

When the silent, ghastly looking branches shielded the lights of the castle completely, we deemed we were far enough, to be safe, and slowed down a little. We were at the borders of the forest, which hid mine and Alice's village.

"The forest is dangerous at night..." I muttered. "I wouldn't want to encounter a wolf, less alone a pack. It would be equally bad if one of us slipped and twisted an ankle on some stone or root in the dark, so I think we should wait here until morning..."

We started looking for a hideout. We soon discovered a little depression in the ground, surrounded by low shrubs. We gathered lots of fallen leaves, spread them into a makeshift bedding and lay down.

"I wish we could make a little campfire, but even if we had the means, it would be too risky..." I said, more to myself.

"It's better to not have a fire now, than have a stake later," commented Lisbeth. I smiled bitterly.

We stayed silent for some time, trying to rest a bit. When the only sound around us were the faint whispers of the trees, I didn't manage to hold back anymore.

"Alice..."

She gave me a questioning hum. Lisbeth didn't even stir. Was she seriously already asleep?

"What happened back then, when they kidnapped me?"

She was silent for a few moments. "I'm still not entirely sure..." she rolled to her side to face me better. "The last I remember was how they took you away. You looked like you were dead..." her voice trembled a little. "I don't remember much after that, I think they did something to me too, because I was found by one of the lumberjack's sons, and they said that I was pretty much talking nonsense for a few hours after awakening... I was sure we will never see you again... we all were..."

"And my parents... how are they?" I reached behind my back and pulled out a twig, that poked me bethween the ribs in an irritating way. I started rolling it between my fingers.

"They needed quite long before they recovered. Maybe they never entirely did. They will be so happy to see you, you have no idea..." she paused briefly, and suddenly smiled. "Your sister will be too."

The bushes echoed with the sound of the twig in my fingers snapping in two. I stared at the two little pieces of wood, as if they had just attempted to murder me.

"Come again?" I stammered. "I'm an only child."

"You're not since four months ago."

"You're kidding..." I couldn't help but smile. "A lot must have changed, since I disappeared."

"Not as much as you may think. My uncle is still hunting for everyone with your dad, Zaafiel still smokes his pipe at his porch every morning, and Selka still has a hard time keeping the boys away..."

"She still didn't make up her mind? What is she waiting for?"

"Maybe you?"

"Yeah, right," a small laugh escaped my lips. "I would rather let myself get kidnapped again."

She joined me in laughter, but soon had to hide a yawn behind a hand. I smiled gently. "Let's try to get some rest, we've got a hard day behind us... and another before us."

She nodded slightly and closed her eyes. I watched her for a while, delighting in having her at my side again. I suddenly noticed how much she has changed on the outside during the last two years. Her cheeks were not that puffy anymore, her eyelashes longer, hair smoother, and the curves...

I had to mentally slap myself in the face to prevent having to do that in reality and waking the two beauties. I turned away and closed my eyes. The air came alive every now and then from the rustle of the leaves and occasional hooting of an owl. I felt a bit cold in my thin, stolen royal outfit, and the chaos in my head was settling a bit too slowly, but that didn't bother me anymore. All that counted was the fact, that I finally knew my place in this world again, and tomorrow, I would be at home, among my real family...

* * *

„ _No one could ever know me_

_No one could ever see me_

_Since you're the only one who knows…"_


	6. With Arms Wide Open

I was awoken by a slight, stinging pain. I opened my eyes to see Pina, stretching contently on my chest and digging her little claws into the skin of my stomach. It dawned. I smiled sleepily and lifted my hand to stroke her, when suddenly my ears picked up screams somewhere in the distance. The sound of horns came from the direction of the castle...

"They noticed..." I whispered to myself in terror. "Alice, Lisbeth, wake up, we have to get out of here!"

Alice opened her eyes almost immediately, but Lisbeth just rolled over to the other side and rubbed her eyes. "Not yet, give me a few moments..." she murmured.

"You could be dead in a few moments, get up will you!"

My silent and urgent screams finally conveyed the seriousness of the situation and Lisbeth quickly sat up. We didn't even bother spreading out the leaves, so no one would notice, that someone was camping here. The shrubs covered the small depression well enough. We left our hideout and ran deeper into the forest, using the sun's first rays. Pina followed us, probably thinking of this as a sort of game.

After a few minutes we had to slow down a little. Lisbeth was panting heavily, holding her side, and I couldn't blame her. Being a maid didn't exactly make you a good runner. I myself wasn't in the best shape either, being absent from my adventures with Alice for quite a while.

It was then, that we heard screams and footsteps. Many of them. I looked around in panic, but pines weren't exactly the best trees for climbing, and there was no convenient hole with bushes around it this time.

I crouched, ready to take Lisbeth piggyback, even if it meant spraining something, but then the sounds changed direction, and headed south. We stayed put for a while, frozen in place by equal amounts of terror and relief.

"They are not exactly giving it their best, are they?" Alice tried to hide her nervousness under a pale smile.

I finally let out a deep, but very silent sigh. "Let's move, but watch your steps," I whispered.

From that moment on we walked slowly, but almost inaudibly. Every now and then we stopped for a moment, to listen to the sounds of the forest, waiting for other signs of pursue. But none came.

Almost an hour passed, before we suddenly heard the gentle whisper of a brook ahead of us, melting together with the faint rustle of the trees. Between the slender trunks I spotted the delicate ribbon of water, glistening silver in the early morning sun.

I wasn't able to hold back a beaming smile. So many times I've come here to get water, when my parents asked me to, so many times we came here with Alice or the other boys from the village and splashed ourselves like silly kids, to make the summer heat more bearable... But this wasn't just a simple brook. It was the border of my home...

My expression didn't escape Alice's notice. "Welcome back," she whispered, smiling gently.

I took a short, ragged breath, my vision blurring suddenly. I glanced at Lisbeth, who just nodded, the same understanding smile on her lips.

We crossed the brook over the flat rocks, that the villagers placed in the water long ago and headed towards the wooden cottages and tiny farms, looming between the trees.

The first person to cross our path was the old herbalist. Upon seeing me, he dropped the freshly picked leaves and paled like a ghost. Alice quickly started to calm him down, explaining, that I'm not some specter, and all of that has a reason... It didn't take long for other villagers to notice, and two young brothers - the sons of the lumberjack - ran off to inform the rest of them. In just a few minutes the entire village gathered at it's southern border, wanting to see me, the boy they presumed dead two years ago.

At some point Alice spotted a young man in the crowd, his ash-brown hair clearly visible above the others, because of his tall stature. He calmly watched the scene from the side, until she came up to him, grabbed his hand and pulled him to the middle of the gathering.

"We owe you an apology, Itsuki," she said loudly, so that everyone would hear. "We're so sorry, that we didn't believe in your words..."

The young prophet glanced at me briefly, his eyes gleaming a little for some reason. Eventually he gave Alice a charming smile, squeezing her hand gently. "I wouldn't have believed either, if someone told me something that absurd. I'm just glad that you took my advice in the end."

Alice tried to hold him there for a little longer, but he retreated back to the crowd, his strange dark clothing, adorned with many leather bands, rustling as he went. Before he could disappear though, he suddenly came face to face with another man, who just squeezed through the small crowd. After a brief moment he bowed slightly, and moved out of the way, making an inviting gesture towards the centre of the gathering.

I suddenly found myself standing before my father... my real father... He almost didn't change at all, he looked just like I remembered him. He just seemed a little shorter than before, and I noticed a few more wrinkles on his gentle features. It was at that moment, that it really hit me how long I've been gone...

When a woman appeared right behind him, holding a little child in her arms, the tears in my eyes blinded me completely. I don't even know when they took me in their arms, and I barely heard the loud cheer of the other villagers. I only felt my body shaking with broken sobs, a big, warm hand stroking my back, a smaller one delicately caressing my cheek. The only thing I remembered later from that moment was a blurred thought, that I've never before seen my dad crying... yes... for the first time in so long, I didn't have to say "father"... it was enough to say "dad"...

I don't know how long it took, until I was able to stifle my sobbing at last. When I finally succeeded, my mother carefully passed me the little girl she was holding. "Her name is Suguha," she told me softly.

I tried to stop my hands from shaking, when I placed her safely on my arm. She smiled happily, when I looked her in the eyes, so lively, and so like our mother's... "She's beautiful..." I whispered, when she started tugging on the sleeve of my shirt.

The herbalist's grandson came to the center of the crowd. "We have to celebrate this!" he announced vigorously. "We should have a feast tonight, and you will tell us about everything that happened, Kirito."

I nodded shakily, and passed Suguha back to my mother, fearing that my beautiful shirt could be torn to adorable shreds in a few moments. In the meantime the younger villagers scattered to start the preparations for the evening. The elders stayed at the border of the forest for a bit longer, discussing the joyous phenomenon. Together with my parents, Alice and Lisbeth, I headed towards our home, located at the western border of the village.

Nothing has really changed there. The hut wasn't too big, but it was sturdy. Up to one meter from the ground, the walls were made of stone, up above from massive logs. Just as before, there was my dad's hunting equipment, hung above a bench in the first and biggest room. It was the same as I remembered it, maybe with a few more marks of passing time. On the right there was a smaller room - my parent's bedroom, and on the left the smallest - my own. It seemed as if nothing was touched in there. As if I left yesterday, and was expected to return this whole time...

I pulled out a chair from underneath the massive oak table, placed it before the hearth and made an inviting gesture for Lisbeth to sit down. She smiled and gladly rested on it, looking around a bit nervously. Me and Alice took a seat on the bench by the wall. My mother, still unsuccessfully trying to hush overenthusiastic Suguha, looked at our guest curiously. "And who are you?"

"This is Lisbeth mom, the girl who helped me survive the past two years," I explained. "But you will get to know the details in the evening."

My mother smiled gently. "It's nice to meet you Lisbeth. I'm Midori, and this is my husband, Minetaka," she gestured towards my dad, who just entered the house after a brief conversation with the blacksmith, who intercepted him for a moment outside. "We're so grateful for taking care of our son. And to you Alice, for bringing him home."

Alice smiled sweetly. I propped my elbows on my knees, giving Lisbeth a more serious look. "Well then... could you please tell us the reason for all this? Why would anyone feel the need to kidnap me? And if I was in someone's way, why not just kill me, instead of taking this unnecessary trouble?"

"Well..." Lisbeth fiddled with the knot of her little bundle, that now rested on her lap, "I don't think I know as much about it, as you would like to hear, but I'll tell you everything I can. Truth is, the order to kidnap and kill you was given by someone even more powerful, than the king."

"What? There is someone like that?" I was so surprised, that I didn't even register the shock of the fact, that I actually _was_ supposed to be killed.

"Apparently yes, but I don't know who exactly that was. I just accidentally eavesdropped on one of the conversations the king had with an emissary, who came from that person."

"But why...? I didn't do anything to anyone."

"I really don't know... But for some reason the king didn't want to obey, so in order to hide his insubordination, he decided to let your memory be erased, changed your name and hid you in the castle as his son. There was just one thing that always confused me... the person, who erased your memory, was the emissary himself. And those were the only two times, that I saw this person in the castle. Does that make sense?"

"No..." a strange thought suddenly sparkled in my mind. "What did he look like?"

"I don't really know, he wore a dark robe with a hood each time. The only thing I can tell you is that he was tall and had a firm, masculine build..."

I glanced at Alice. She answered my stare with the same unease I felt. That description roughly fitted the person we saw at night. Which probably meant trouble. "So... they wanted to hide me from someone..." I stated silently, wanting to steer the conversation in a different direction.

"At least that's what it felt like to me. I really don't know anything else. I was just ordered to watch over you and keep you thinking, that you're someone you're not. That's all." She bowed her head a little and added a bit quieter: "I'm really sorry..."

I smiled and gently put my hand on one of hers. "Don't blame yourself. You have no idea how grateful I am for everything you've done for me."

I thought I saw a glint of tears in her eyes, but she smiled nonetheless. She looked like something very heavy has just been lifted from her shoulders. "It was the only way I could make it easier for you..."

"But... what are you going to do now? You can't return to the castle..." I looked at my father, who leaned on the doorframe of my room, listening silently. "Do you think she could stay here, dad?"

"Of course," his eyes briefly followed my mother, who went to the opposite bedroom with the finally sleepy Suguha. "I'm sure we can find a place for you somewhere, you deserve our eternal gratitude."

"Thank you," Lisbeth smiled lovely.

My father took out three wooden cups, to pour us some milk from the jug on the table, when we heard an uproar outside. I picked up some disturbed voices and the neigh of at least two horses. I stood up, but suddenly the door opened without knocking, and one of the lumberjack's sons peeked inside.

"Some soldiers paid us a visit, it's better if you stay here Kirito," he said quickly and disappeared equally abruptly.

I slumped back onto the bench, my knees refusing to keep me up. After a few moments, there was a hush outside, and an uncomfortable feeling rose in my chest. Without a word I grabbed Lisbeth's hand and gently, but resolutely pulled her to my old room. I shoved the bed to the side, praying that what I remembered was still there. I grabbed the little metal handle, attached to one of the floor planks and pulled at the small trapdoor. I sighed in relief. My father and Alice's uncle once came up with that idea for our entertainment. It was a tunnel, that connected our two homes, and made a perfect hideout for me and Lisbeth.

I safeguarded her on the way down and jumped right in after her. My father closed the trapdoor above our heads and I heard him push the bed back to its place and leave the house. The voices from outside became muffled, but their tense tone mercilessly irritated my curiosity.

When I heard the front door open though, I instantly retreated my ear from the trapdoor. Lisbeth held her breath. We heard heavy footsteps, and I could practically see a tremendous soldier standing in the threshold, scanning the interior of the house. His heavy boots first made their way to my parent's room, then to mine. Lisbeth grabbed my sleeve with a trembling hand, and I covered it with my own to calm her down.

Finally the footsteps made their way towards the exit and vanished in the distance. After a few more minutes the front door opened again, and I heard my father's voice: "They're gone, you can come out."

I pushed the trapdoor up when he shoved the bed to the side again. "They're seriously searching for us even here?" I asked, pulling myself up.

"That's not the craziest thing..." my father helped Lisbeth to get out. "They announced national mourning. Someone assassinated the king."

The bundle in Lisbeth's hands fell to the wooden floor.

* * *

„ _Streets they turn to Blood and Fire..._

_The price of Liberty..."_


	7. More than Words

"What?!" Lisbeth twitched upon hearing my raised voice, as if scared, that it might lure the soldiers back into the village.

"Unfortunately, you heard right. And it happened last night, so practically at the same moment you fled the castle. The king's son was supposedly kidnapped, so they are searching for him, the murderer and the young maid, who is suspected of taking part in the conspiracy."

My legs gave up on me and I sat down on my old bed. "Well then..." I tried to take on a joking tone, "I suppose Lisbeth and Alice should get a sentence of at least a month of cleaning at the tavern for that..."

My parents laughed silently, not really noticing anything. It seemed that even the king's death couldn't dim the happiness, that blessed them today. But there was an unpleasant storm starting to rise in my mind. Trying to stifle it, I looked around and asked: "And where did that other criminal go, by the way?"

"If you mean Alice, she went to help with the feast."

"Right... Well, I hope Lisbeth is safe here from now on. When people check something once, they usually don't feel the need to do it again..."

I fell silent and got lost in thought. I couldn't get rid of the image of that black-clad figure in the royal gardens, the hole in the fence... Did I narrowly escape death tonight, without even realizing it? What were the odds of Alice sneaking into the castle the exact same night, that someone planned the king's assassination for? And probably not just the king's? What was my role in all this? Why did someone, who was powerful enough to command the king himself, feel the need to kill me, a simple boy from a forest village? And why didn't the king obey, even though he must have been aware of the consequences, should the truth come to light...?

I didn't find a single answer until evening.

We left the house when the trees were already glistening with carmine and gold. What I saw in the small open space between the cottages, went beyond my imagination. The pile of wood and dry leaves gathered at the center was so big, as if it was meant to burn until dawn. Around it was a wreath of little tables, chairs, rocking chairs and benches. It looked almost like everyone in the village brought their furniture outside just to be able to see and hear me well, when I will be telling the tale. A bit further from the center, bigger tables were practically bending under the weight of platters, bowls, baskets and jugs. In between this whole chaos a few children were playing lightheartedly, every now and then getting in the way of their busy mothers.

I didn't recover from my bewilderment yet, when Alice appeared. She grabbed my hand and pulled me to the bonfire. Soon I found myself sitting in the biggest chair of all, and staring into Alice's happy face. "Don't move from here," she winked, and soon disappeared again among the other villagers.

I was joined by my parents and Lisbeth. She sat down to my left.

"You will help me right?" I asked.

"With what?" she raised her eyebrows.

"To tell this crazy story. I'm not sure if I remember everything correctly with all that chaos in my head."

"Oh, of course," she laughed silently. "I'll be glad to."

"Thanks. I'm sure my throat won't be functional for the next few days after this..."

Shortly after everyone gathered and suddenly I was lifted up by the four strongest lads in the village and thrown up into the air a few times, to the accompaniment of cheers way too inappropriate for a time of mourning. When I thankfully sat down again, massaging my heart, there was a joyful toast and I was asked to tell everything I remembered. I took a few more breaths, and when Alice took her place by my side, I started the story.

At first she helped me a little, when I described our escapade to the forest on the day of my kidnapping. After that Lisbeth took over. We told them about everything: the everyday life in the castle, its appearance from the outside, as well as the inside, about its inhabitants, about what I did when I was free to decide about it, and about the days planned for me by the king.

The villagers were listening intently in total silence, only taking some drinks every now and then. When the sun disappeared completely behind the tree tops, and shadows started sneaking into the village, the bonfire was lit. The wood cracked like branches breaking under the pressure of heavy wind, and I kept talking. When we arrived at the point of my fabricated birthday, Alice joined the story once more, and when we described our escape from the castle my voice was already hoarse. So when finally an applause echoed throughout the village, I thankfully accepted a cup of herb tea from my mother.

I was starving, so together with Alice we made our way between the villagers to the nearby table. Lisbeth wanted to come with us, but she was intercepted by one of the younger villagers, who apparently wished to get to know her better. Alice found a little free space at the corner of the table and perched there, close to a basket full of vegetables. I sat down on a chair below her and pulled a plate with cheese and bread towards me.

For some time we just silently enjoyed the meal. Every now and then someone would come up to me to ask for more details about something, or have a little cheers. It was very calming to just sit there like that, delighting in the warmth of the fire and watching the occasional shower of sparks raising from it up to the peaceful sky.

I was just about to finish the pear, that I helped myself to at the end, when Alice spoke silently: "What are you going to do now?" her tone suggested, that she was stifling this question for a long time.

"I need to get rid of this core..."

"You know that's not what I mean."

I looked away from the remnants of the pear and looked at her critical expression. "What do you mean?"

"I'm talking about this whole situation. I don't believe you will just return to your old life and pretend nothing has happened. Like nobody has done anything to you."

I kept quiet for a few moments. "Of course not," I tried to carefully pick my words. "The two years in captivity won't disappear just because I'm free again, but on the other hand, what can I do? I can't go back to the castle and start asking questions. Not after what just happened there..." I paused briefly, my eyes narrowing slightly. "But maybe I should visit someone else."

"Who?"

I made a delicate gesture with my head, towards somewhere behind her left shoulder. She turned slightly, following my gaze. A little distance away from the others, where the fire's blaze sank into the darkness, stood a tall figure in dark clothing. Its eyes gleamed with the flame's reflection, when it lifted its head, as if sensing our stares. We stayed like this for a few moments.

"I have a feeling, that Itsuki knows more about this whole situation, that may seem..." the silent words didn't leave my lips completely yet, when the young prophet turned around and headed towards his little house.

I didn't even think about it. I stood up and, avoiding the other villagers, followed him silently. Alice hopped down from the table and did the same. Itsuki's house stood a bit out of the way, hugging the forest at the south-eastern border of the village. There was a dim light in its little window.

I went up to the door and gave it a soft knock.

"Come in," came the clear voice from the other side.

We entered the small house. Among the slight disorder of the interior we spotted Itsuki, sitting at a small table by the hearth. "Come on, don't be shy," he repeated, smiling mysteriously.

We made our way to the hearth between dozens of strange items, the origin of some I didn't want to guess. "I assume you know, why we're here," I started.

"Indeed," the smile didn't vanish from his face. "But I assure you, that I don't know as much about it, as you might think."

"I will be satisfied with any information," I sat down on the floor by the fire. Alice did the same behind my back. "Most of all though, I want to know why I was kidnapped two years ago. I already know, that I was supposed to be killed on behalf of someone, but who? And why?"

"It's probably because Asuna Liorenth sees a serious threat to her power in you."

"This Asuna is the one, who ordered to kill me then?"

"Yes."

"But why would I be a threat to her? And who is this in the first place? I think I've heard that name before, if only I knew, where to put it..."

Itsuki straightened his back a little and leaned his hand upon the armrest. He just stared me in the eyes for a few moments. "Did you ever hear about the high sovereign, who is feared by every king in this world even though she doesn't rule any land? The empress of life on earth?"

"Oh right, I know that legend... are you telling me you actually believe in that?"

"And weren't you abducted?"

I winced a little. "Well... assuming, it is true, what danger can I be to her?"

"You see, Asuna was ruling over the order of life in our world. _Was,_ because that power was taken from her by Sharish Caydranth, and fairly recently. Judging from what she wanted to do, you could stand in her way of regaining that power."

"Me? And hang on, who's Sharish Caydranth?"

"The descendant of the man, who rid our world of dragons many years ago. But Sharish's views are different. He wants to bring the dragons back to life."

"What? How?"

"That I don't know. Asuna wants to stop him at all costs, but for that, she needs her powers. Unfortunately for her, Sharish used a rather perfidious method, when he robbed them from her. He sealed the magic in an amulet, that originally belonged to her, and stole it. Ilmer's Amulet - that's what it's called - has been hidden somewhere in Sharish's stronghold, and Asuna was forced to retreat to the Silivren Forest. Only there, in the oldest wood of this land, is she able to use a reduced amount of her powers, and is currently plotting against Sharish. But apparently, she's not yet strong enough, to stand above fear, and you seem to be someone, who is able to definitively bury her hopes."

"Even if I am someone who's capable of doing something like that, who said I would declare myself for Sharish? It's not like I hate dragons, but Earlindon has been so peaceful without them for so many years. I don't think that bringing them back to life is going to do us much good..."

"On the contrary," Itsuki opposed in an unusually lively tone. "We could benefit from their return. Dragons were extremely intelligent creatures, we could learn so much from them. And recreating their race would earn us their eternal gratitude, Earlindon wouldn't have to fear any war or aggression..." He fell silent suddenly, as if a bit consternated about the emotion, that suddenly burst out of him. Meanwhile I tried to put all the information that he gave me into some entity, that made at least a little bit of sense. I failed.

"This is absurd... why would I care about some conflict between mages and someone's dreams, that sound like taken straight from a fairytale? And how would I be able to influence any of them, when they could both probably kill me on the spot with the flick of a finger?"

"Well, Asuna will probably kill you anyway, once she finds you. She will do the same with Sharish and anyone, who dares to stand in her path to you both. And the prophecy says, that the one, who shall stop her, will bear the name Kirito..."

"What prophecy?"

"Mine," he smiled charmingly.

I sighed. "But there could be dozens of people bearing that name in our country and beyond... besides... no, no that's enough. All of this doesn't make sense." I got up, shaking my head. Further conversation was pointless to me. Alice followed my example. "Thank you for your time, we will be leaving now."

When we were at the door, I recalled another question I had on my mind. "One more thing though..."

"Oberon was assassinated by Asuna's emissary. You were supposed to die that night as well. As you can see, she has her methods of finding out."

For a moment I just stood there, surprised by the answer to a question, I didn't even ask. Then I gave him a grateful nod, and left the house.

"I swear, he's fanatical..." I shook my head on the way back to the celebration.

"Well, he is a prophet," commented Alice, glancing over her shoulder one last time.

"Even so..."

"You don't believe him?"

I sighed heavily. "I don't know... it all seems like a strange and beautiful fairytale. But after what I've been through..."

Alice looked at me with concern, and softly placed one of her delicate hands on my shoulder, stopping me for a moment. "You look tired... maybe you should go to sleep and think about it tomorrow?"

"No, this whole party has been prepared mostly for me," I looked in the direction of the villagers, still happily chatting and drinking by the fire, which cast a dull gleam on the occasional clouds above. "It would be inappropriate, if I just left like that."

For some reason, a hint of sadness danced on her features, together with the flame's glow. "You've changed..." she said, almost inaudibly.

"Sorry?"

"You've changed," she repeated, looking me in the eyes a bit shyly. "Ever since I saw you there, in Ioreth, I had a feeling that your behavior, your presence was so much different from what I remembered. You're not the ever cheerful and fickle Kirito, that was taken away from us... You've become more revered, dignified... and your eyes show so much nobility now..." She cast her eyes down, as if feeling, that she unintentionally went far beyond what she intended to say. It took me a few moments, but I realized the hidden meaning behind those words. I smiled gently.

"Alice..." I took her hand from my shoulder, and embraced it with both of my own. "I know that the two years in the castle have probably left their mark on me, but that doesn't change who you are to me. Or who I am to anyone in this village. Nothing has changed between us, I promise you. You will always be my best friend, even if dragons should come back to life and burn Earlindon down."

Relief melted the worry in her eyes and she smiled beautifully. "Well then... you want to celebrate you say? I think the others are at the stage, where they would start dancing."

"Then maybe we should join, if you would give me the honor."

She happily locked arms with me and led me back to the center of the gathering.

A few hours later the bonfire was reduced to warm embers, and the village fell silent.

I returned home with my parents completely exhausted, but happier than ever in my entire life. I wanted to immediately flop onto my bed, when I noticed a small bulge under the blanket on the side. I came closer and poked it carefully. It moved and a lovely mewl reached my ears. I lifted the blanket a little, revealing Pina, who was yawning, showing her white little fangs.

"Oh right..." my mother said, peeking into the room. "This cat snuck in when I was changing the sheets, and I couldn't scare it away..."

I laughed heartily. "It's alright mom, that's my cat, her name is Pina," I explained, stroking my spoiled friend. "I got her a year ago at the castle."

"I thought she was some stray from the forest," she smiled. "In that case, she can stay. We can afford to drink less milk ourselves."

I yawned and laid down comfortably, forcing Pina to shift a bit more to the side. I closed my eyes contently. Sleep quickly started to tug on my consciousness, but I still felt it, when my mother made sure I was covered properly and gave me a feather light kiss on the cheek.

"I love you mom..." I whispered.

"I love you too, sweetheart."

The last thing I heard was the silent crackling of the hearth and the muffled mumbling of Suguha in the opposite room, before I fell into a very deep and very calm sleep...

* * *

„ _Vast oceans of Freedom_

_Days of Celebration…"_


	8. A Dragon's Shadow among the Storm

Days started to pass quickly. The life in the village was slowly returning to normal after my surprising return. I spent every second I could with my family and with Alice, going for walks and talking about all possible insignificant things, trying to regain the time we lost. Sometimes we helped the old herbalist with drying the fresh plants and organizing the old, sometimes she would watch me as I helped the lumberjack and his sons with firewood for the winter, as if not wanting to leave my side even if she couldn't help. My father and her uncle's hunting became more frequent, as food reserves had to be made before the biggest birds started leaving, and the other animals hiding. My dad even said it would be good, if I started practicing with them, so I could support and someday take over the duty.

Lisbeth received a warm and hearty welcome among the villagers. The herbalist offered her a place in his hut, as he was in need of a helper and maybe apprentice, but when she learned, that the village had a blacksmith, all debate was meaningless. And I knew she didn't make a mistake with her decision, when I saw her beaming just three days after, and heard some rumors, that the at first amused blacksmith was now completely bewildered by her talent and enthusiasm.

But even with the days being this busy, I couldn't get Itsuki's words out of my mind. Sometimes I thought about it so much, that I felt like I started to believe him, and more than once wanted to visit the prophet and ask for details. Luckily, shortly after I would realize the ridiculousness of it all once more, and I inwardly scolded myself for being at the peak of my stupidity.

One day I met him on the way back from one of the elder villagers, where I was helping to repair a broken window shutter.

"The winter will be exceptionally severe this year," he said, looking up at the sky.

"You think so?" I asked, deeming the question harmless.

I regretted it instantaneously.

"I told you, Asuna is slowly regaining her powers and she will do anything to get to you. Maybe she thinks, that if she puts the denizens of this country and the people dear to you in danger, you will surrender voluntarily? It's really hard to say."

I didn't want to be impolite, so I just kept quiet. Luckily, Itsuki just turned around and walked towards his house before I could show my capability of being a jerk.

The feared winter came a few weeks later. The village and the surrounding forest were suddenly covered by a pure white blanket, which innocently decorated the region. The younger inhabitants of the village, including me, Alice and Lisbeth, often used these circumstances for silly games out in the open. But the beauty of the season was soon stifled by its cruelty. Due to the blizzards, even simply getting firewood was a difficult task, and leaving the house for longer was out of the question.

It lasted for three days, before the snow and wind finally stopped, giving way to a freezing, but sunny morning. I put on the thickest clothing I could find and left the house, wanting to visit Alice. The relieved villagers were coming outside as well, the air was frosty, clear and scentless.

In front of Alice's house I spotted her uncle. I greeted him and asked, if she was there.

"She isn't," I thought I sensed a hint of worry in Gasupht's voice. "She left very early..."

"To where?" I raised my eyebrows. I didn't recall Alice telling me about any planned trips recently.

He gave me a gentle and distressed smile. "It seems you do have some memory problems still..." he said, handing me a little note.

It was written in Alice's handwriting:

_I'm going to visit my parents. Please don't worry, I will be back by evening._

"Oh..." I said softly. That's right...

Alice's parents died in an avalanche in the nearby mountains when she was only two years old. My father was with them at that time and was the only one to survive. Since then Alice was brought up by her uncle, and my parents helped him to take care of the child. Which was why me and Alice were almost like siblings, together almost from the cradle.

When she grew up, she started visiting their makeshift graves in the mountains. The bodies were never found, it was suspected, that animals "took care" of them before the villagers could go on a search when the snow melted.

But she never before went alone... I always accompanied her.

"What was she thinking..." I mumbled to myself. "The weather could change any moment again, it's dangerous..."

"Maybe it has something to do with the fact, that I dislocated my ankle when I went with her last year."

"But then she could have asked me. If she left in secret, then she must have been aware, that I wouldn't let her go alone, but why?"

"I really don't know..."

I glanced towards the low line of mountains, perfectly visible from this point in the village. Where could she be right now? Did she already cross the Elladar Plains, that separated us from the ridge? If not, maybe I could still catch up with her...?

I looked at the snow at my feet, lost in thought, and then, I don't really know why, towards the little house some distance away.

In the small window stood Itsuki, his eyes squinted a bit, looking somewhere towards the north. Something cold touched the base of my spine.

"I'll go after her," I said suddenly. "I couldn't bear it, if something happened to her."

Gasupht nodded. "Thank you, but be careful. I would go with you, but I would probably just be holding you back. I'm not the youngest anymore..."

"It's alright, I'll handle this," I smiled and darted back home.

Upon returning, I quickly took out a haversack from the closet in my room. I made it out of boredom during the blizzard, from remnants of material that my mother sew me new clothes from. I started collecting everything that could be useful for this trip.

"Are you going somewhere?" I heard my father, when I finished rolling a thick blanket together.

"To the mountains dad."

He peeked into my room. "Are you crazy? Why?"

"Alice went there. Alone."

"To visit her parents?"

"Yes. I have no idea why she didn't tell anyone and I have a bad feeling about this... I will do everything I can to make sure she returns home safely."

He just watched me in silence, and I was sure, he would try to stop me. But then he sighed softly and despite the obvious worry on his face, smiled with what seemed to be pride. "Go, but be careful."

My hand, holding a little waterskin, froze just above the haversack.

"What?" my father raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing, it's just... I thought you wouldn't want me to go. I was sure you will try to hold me here at all costs."

"Some time ago, I would have. But you are almost an adult now, and I trust, that you know what you are doing."

I smiled thankfully. "Tell mom not to worry, I promise I will be careful."

"I take you at your word," we hugged shortly, I slung the haversack over my shoulder and went out into the cold again.

When I left the village's premise, I started to think about that strange sensation, that infested me upon seeing Itsuki. Why did I feel like something bad was going to happen? Maybe he really was telling the truth and the situation really was about to get worse if I didn't decide to take some steps? After all, he did somehow foretell, that I wasn't dead and he told Alice, where she could find me...

I stopped.

I suddenly got the feeling of being observed, like I wasn't alone... I looked around but saw noone. I scanned the fresh snow, but on the narrow paths, that I could only assume were there, I didn't see any tracks other than my own. The forest was silent, only once or twice I picked up the cry of some bird in the distance. I came to the conclusion, that my imagination is beginning to play tricks on me, and started moving again, shaking my head.

Shortly after the trees thinned out and I saw the vast plain, that separated me from the now very clearly visible mountains. In the eastern part of it the undulating snowy carpet melted with the depression of a lake, now completely invisible. I could see a flock of crows lazily wandering on its frozen surface. The sight was gorgeous, almost too bright to look at, but the worry for Alice didn't allow me to enjoy it to the fullest. I finally spotted the vague trail she left in pristine white, which was becoming more and more indistinguishable due to the wind mercilessly blurring it away. But I didn't spot Alice herself. Which meant that she must have already reached the line of spruces, that were casting a shadow on the foot of the ridge...

I shielded my eyes with my hand and looked up. The sun was already reaching its zenith, and in the far east I saw what I feared the most. Clouds. Massive clouds. Not wanting to lose any more time I set off, inwardly praying, that I would meet Alice on her way back.

The passage across the plain took longer, than I anticipated. When I arrived at the border of the forest, the sky was already covered completely. The wind picked up and each moment threatened with the beginning of a blizzard, but there was still no sign of Alice. On top of that, upon walking between the trees, I once again felt, like I was being watched. I tried to ignore that feeling though, Alice was far more important at this moment. I started calling her, unsuccessfully trying to remember the way to her parent's symbolic graves.

After a few more minutes, when the snow was already cruelly blowing into my eyes, I was at the brink of being furious. I scolded myself over and over for forgetting the way after just two years, and for whatever I might have done, that caused Alice to go alone in secret.

Suddenly a ghastly thought crossed my mind. What if we missed eachother...? Maybe Alice was already on her way home, not even knowing that someone went after her? I came to a stop in the middle of the forest and looked back, hesitant and torn.

It was then, that I spotted a kneeled down figure through the curtain of snow to my left. "Alice?!" I called out, unbelievably relieved.

The silhouette rose and faced me, a long coat tail flapped in the wind... the hair was shorter, the figure little taller than Alice's... I took a step back, but then the shadow turned around and disappeared among the blizzard.

I quickly darted after it, and after just a few steps I stumbled over something and landed face-first in the beautiful whiteness.

I propped myself on my hands, cursing fancifully at the innocent snow, which covered me from head to toe now. I quickly brushed it off, so it wouldn't melt from the warmth of my body and soak the clothes. I looked back over my shoulder, wanting to know, what I so brilliantly tripped over, and was bewildered to see a human figure laying on the ground.

I quickly turned around, kneeled down and pushed the hood back. Golden locks slipped through my fingers... "Alice!"

I immediately scanned the surroundings. If that figure I just saw really wasn't Alice, then who just ran off into the depths of the forest? I was sure I saw the shadow, but... I shook my head, blaming it all on the blizzard and tried to wake Alice. I didn't really get to it yet, when I noticed something that convinced me, that I didn't hallucinate after all.

There was a small leather pouch in the snow at Alice's side, the thin straps tied around a little piece of parchment, that was flapping wildly in the wind. I carefully took it out and opened it.

_Dear Kirito,_

_Keep it safe. It belongs to you._

_You might find it useful, when you won't be sure, whom to trust._

There was no signature. I once again scanned the surroundings, and stuck the pouch into my pocket without even taking a look inside.

I spotted a tiny hill nearby, a young cedar growing on it. The earth underneath its roots on one side crumbled away somehow, creating a cavity deep enough to shield us at least from the wind. The roots even still held some dirt and rocks in place, creating a kind of small roofing, so I assumed the snow wouldn't be as bothersome there.

I carefully lifted the still motionless Alice. She was lighter than I thought. I placed her in the most shielded spot under the tree and started to shift the snow away. I unintentionally created some snowdrifts, and an idea to make them bigger to protect our hideout came up in my mind. But there was something more important first.

I was incredibly glad, that I took the thick blanket with me, even though it was an irritating weight on the way here. I placed it on the now snow-free part of ground and freed Alice from the little bag she was carrying. I carefully placed her on one side of the blanket and then wrapped her up in the loose side. She was pale, but her breathing was even. I tried to wake her up again, but unsuccessfully, then checked for injuries just in case. When I didn't find anything, I decided to let her come to her senses on her own, and started to make the snowdrifts bigger.

After some time the wind in our little hideout got much less nasty and fresh snow almost didn't come in at all. Pleased with my work, I sat down at Alice's side, leaned my back against the wall of the cavity and took the little pouch out. I hesitantly looked inside and raised my eyebrows.

There was a small, irregularly cut, semi-transparent stone, its beautiful deep green shape not quite a triangle, more like a fang, slightly curved at the tip. A long leather band was attached to it, as if it was meant to be some sort of necklace. I apprehensively took it out, wondering if maybe I was seeing things. Who would leave something so beautiful and valuable to me? And how was this stone supposed to help me with anything? Was someone just playing jokes on me...?

I suddenly heard Alice's silent moan, and she finally started to show signs of life other than breathing. I quickly hid the stone in my pocket and leaned over her slightly. "Hey," I greeted her with relief, when the two azure orbs blinked at me in confusion. "You're a master in finding the most inappropriate places for naps..."

"Kirito...?" she whispered finally.

"Yes, it's me."

"But how did you... what happened?"

"I followed you. And the second question is what I wanted to ask you. Why didn't you tell me that you were going?"

She kept quiet for a few moments, as if gathering her thoughts. "I... I thought you still needed your peace... that you didn't want to leave your parents for longer, that you wanted to make up for those two years..."

"You're so silly..." I sighed. "I was separated from you for equally long, I would also like to regain what I lost with you..."

She smiled apologetically and looked around a bit. "Where are we...?"

"In a makeshift hideout I made for us, unfortunately still in the mountains. I didn't have much time or possibility to think of something better to prevent us from being buried alive..."

"But what happened to me?"

"Why don't you tell me? I found you knocked out in the snow."

"I don't remember anything... I was on my way back, when it started snowing... the blizzard was so intense, that I must have lost my way. And I was feeling a bit odd for quite a while... but what happened then...?"

"Then why did you even come here? You saw what was happening over the past few days."

"Itsuki told me, that the weather won't change throughout the entire day. He must have been mistaken... it's strange, normally his prophecies concerning weather are always right..."

I raised my eyebrows. A strange thought suddenly sparked in my mind. I recalled Itsuki, standing in the window of his house... _He wasn't mistaken..._ I thought. _He lied to her!_

I must have made quite a weird face, because Alice asked with concern: "Is something wrong?"

"No no, I was just wondering... did you meet anyone else here?" I was glad to find a way out of this line of thought.

"No... should I have?"

"Right before I found you, I thought I saw a shadow in the snow."

"You must have been seeing things."

"Maybe..."

For some time we remained silent, listening to the howling wind. After a few minutes Alice spoke again. "What are we going to do now?" she asked, curling up into a ball under the blanket.

"Just wait I guess... unless you have the strength to go back under these circumstances, although I don't think that would be the best idea."

"Not the best indeed..."

"How are you feeling by the way?"

"It's not bad, but I've been better..." she seemed to suddenly notice something. "Are you not cold?"

Fair enough, I was sitting on frozen ground, while she cuddled with a thick blanket. "I'm fine, don't worry," I reassured her.

Apparently she didn't believe me, because she snuck one of her pale hands from beneath the blanket and grabbed mine. She raised her eyebrows. "Your hands are so warm... how are you doing this?"

I didn't notice until she actually pointed it out. I spent the last few hours in freezing cold air, and just a few minutes ago I was building snow walls. And despite all that I didn't feel cold at all. On the contrary... "I have no idea..." I whispered.

"Maybe you have a fever?"

"Nonsense, I feel great."

Still, something was off. I usually avoided cold and was pretty sensitive in that aspect. And now I didn't feel anything at all. I bit my lip. Something was incredibly wrong...

Wanting to drive away these thoughts, I left our hideout for a few moments to find a birch, as I remembered seeing a few solitary ones in the vicinity. My father taught me once, that their bark, even if wet, burned quite well. From it, and a few shreds of fabric I managed to strike a tiny fire. The hideout became a little cozier.

I wasn't sure, but I assumed we spent a good few hours there, listening to the blizzard passing through the approaching dusk. I was busy thinking about everything that was happening around me, slowly turning the stone in my pocket between my fingers. Meanwhile Alice practically took a nap in the blanket.

When the storm died down at last, night shrouded the forest already. We rolled the blanket together again and emerged from our hideout. Almost all the way home we walked in silence, guided by the coruscating constellation of the Guardian Stag. The fresh snow made our journey harder, so we arrived at the village shortly before dawn.

Gasupht, although sleepy, was immensely happy and thankful for bringing his niece back safely. I quickly freed myself from the flood of gratitude under pretence of being tired and wanting to soothe my for sure worried parents. But when their door closed behind me, I didn't go to my own.

I was thinking about this the whole way back and came to the conclusion, that Itsuki was behaving very weirdly towards me ever since I came back after these two years. Not that he wasn't always strange, and I didn't mean just his weird "prophecies"... I didn't want to evade him anymore, I wanted to hear what he had to say after almost sending Alice to her death.

I knocked on the door of the small house, not even caring that he could be asleep. I soon heard the silent "Come in" though, and entered.

"Oh, it's you," the young prophet looked at me from behind the table he was writing something on.

"I didn't think that would be a surprise to you. You can see the future after all..."

He squinted a little and put the feather down. "What are you driving at?" he asked calmly.

I took a deep breath. "Why did you lie to Alice?"

He just stared me in the eyes attentively for a few moments, before leaning back in the chair. "I didn't lie to her," he finally said. "Even I can be wrong sometimes."

I belatedly realized, that I had no plan for this outcome. I just wanted to press him for answers, I was too tired to think about what to do should he deny it. I was about to capitulate, when suddenly I felt something warm on my thigh... in my pocket... I sneaked my hand inside and my fingers found the smooth surface of the stone left to me by the stranger. The crystal was radiating an unnatural heat...

And I got a sudden feeling of understanding.

"You're lying," I said, hoping that my conclusions didn't go too far.

Itsuki sighed, sounding like someone, who's given up. "It seems that trying deceit in front of you is meaningless by now... You are starting to wake up..."

"What are you talking about? Does that mean that your previous words were a lie as well?"

"Partially..."

I was starting to lose my patience. "Stop wriggling and tell me what is going on!"

"What, they didn't tell you?"

"Who?"

"You didn't meet you companions? How come you have your stone then?"

"'My' stone?" I took the crystal out, it's surface cold again. "You mean this one?"

Itsuki's eyes sparkled at the sight of the gem. "Yes, this one..." he whispered.

"It's not mine. I found it."

"Even if that's true, it wasn't a coincidence. This is your sirath."

The chaos in my head was getting unmanageable. "Listen, would it hurt you to explain something clearly for once? Who are you really and don't lie to me!"

"I'm a spy in Sharish's service..." he answered casually, but his voice was so full of venom, that I thought a completely different person just appeared in front of me.

"So... the part about Sharish was true?" I stammered.

"Partially. To be honest, truth entwined with lie so smoothly, that I almost believed in my own words..." he gave me an innocent smile.

"I want the full and pure truth then. What do you want from me?"

"If I told you, you could become a too serious threat to us... you probably will anyway... so I really don't feel like I need to enlighten you about your own significance in this."

"Why did you waste so much time then?! You've been living in this village ever since I can remember, you had so many occasions to get rid of me, so why didn't you?!"

"I don't feel the obligation to tell you."

I tried to stay calm, but it wasn't easy. The thought that I once trusted this man made me fell nauseous. And the realization that he was capable of stabbing anyone in this village in the back this entire time almost froze the blood in my veins. I opened my mouth, but before I could lash out on him again, I heard a faint rustle somewhere behind my back...

"If you don't wish to tell him, would you allow me to do it?" came a gentle voice, that almost made me jump. I turned around quickly, stumbled over something (I didn't even want to know what) and almost fell to the floor, had the pillar supporting the roof not been so conveniently close.

A dark figure stood in the shadow by the door, its features covered by a hood. Itsuki jumped to his feet, probably seriously surprised for the first time in his life. It felt to me like the stranger had just entered the house along with the darkness, that instilled inside through the fogged window.

"Who are you?!" demanded the young prophet.

The silhouette calmly pulled the hood back with one hand. It was a boy... no, rather a young man, probably my age. His short hair, in the color of pale, fallen pine needles had a slight hint of waviness. There was intelligence and nobility in his eyes, that were not exactly green, but held a note of blue when looked at from a certain angle. A familiar looking crystal hung at his neck, but it was sky-blue, and the hilt of a sword poked out from underneath his coat.

I immediately associated these few features in his appearance.

"It was you... it was you who I saw in the mountains. You were following me the entire day!"

The stranger smiled gently. "Yes, it was me," his voice was almost palpably warm, his tone kind and apologetic.

"And you left me this stone..."

"Yes."

"But... who in the world are you?"

"My name is Eugeo..." it sounded, like he wanted to say more, but in that moment Itsuki slumped back into his chair.

"You are...?" he stammered.

I've really had enough by now. Nothing I heard over the past ten minutes made the chaos in my mind any better. "Listen..."

"Don't worry Kirito," the stranger interrupted me softly. "I will answer all of your questions in a moment, but please allow me to clarify something first..." he turned to the prophet again. "If you know who I am, then you must also be aware of what I can do to convince you, that helping Sharish is a mistake."

Itsuki just sat there motionless for a moment. I don't think I've ever seen him this disturbed before. The cold composure of the stranger's words seemed to work better, than any argument. Finally, he hung his head and sighed heavily.

"You win..." he said silently. "I would rather try to escape from him, than face you here..."

"I'm glad you understand. You should be aware that truth can't be killed... you can change its shape, try to stifle it, but even if you bury a spring, it will continue to spurt under the earth. And someday it will find its way to the surface in another place and reach the ones, it's destined for." The guest paused shortly and a small smile played across his lips. "You should flee from here as soon as you can. Don't worry, I won't spread any word about you to anyone. Maybe Sharish won't even care about pursuing you."

What? He was willing to forgive that swindler? And not just that, he was practically ready to offer him help? This guy must be out of his mind...

Before I could raise my voice in the matter, the stranger looked at me with those innocent eyes. "Do you know any place nearby, where we could talk in peace Kirito?"

It took me almost a minute to gather my thoughts in all my confusion. "Yes but... that would be outside. And it's cold..."

"I thought that shouldn't bother you anymore?"

I didn't even ask.

"Well then... I know a place."

He nodded and opened the door, making an inviting gesture for me to go first. I glanced at Itsuki, still sitting by the hearth. I hesitated for just a moment, but finally turned away and left the house. The mysterious stranger followed me soundlessly.

* * *

„ _I don't know who you are but..._

_I'm with you…"_


	9. The Song of Truth

Eugeo silently closed the door. „Where are we going then?"

Without a word I led him to the border of the village, a bit away from the last houses. Underneath the first trees there were two small benches made from oak logs, which the elders used for little chat gatherings during warm, summer days. We brushed the snow aside and sat down.

"It's so peaceful here," the stranger looked around. His voice seemed even more tranquil now, as if the calm tone he used with Itsuki was supposed to represent rage. He didn't seem so different from me in appearance, but the way he spoke made me think he was a few years older. "Spring must be breathtakingly beautiful in this region."

I didn't answer. I scooped a bit of snow from the ground and started kneading it. My fingers didn't seem to recognize the feeling of cold, only a faint chill like from the water of a brook in late spring. It was hard to comprehend...

"It's strange, isn't it?" asked Eugeo quietly. "I didn't understand at all too..."

"But what does that mean?" I was almost desperate at this point. "I don't really care who you are, just tell me what is going on..."

"First, I need to ask you something. Do you already know, what your sirath is capable of?"

I glanced at the crystal in my other hand. "It 'warns me'... when someone is lying to me?"

"Exactly. Which is why you should know whether or not you can trust me."

"Yes but... what in the world is that anyway? The name is so strange and I don't get why I keep hearing, that it's mine. I've never even seen it before."

"'Sirath' means "a guardians fragment" in the language of dragons."

"This... comes from a dragon?"

"Yes. But maybe I should start from the beginning." He adjusted his tone a little, as if he wanted his words to reach only me, and no further. "I'm sure you're aware of the fact, that dragons inhabited Earlindon many years ago, even though what survived until our times are only fairytales and legends. They lived in harmony with other races, often cooperated with them, but weren't always friendly either. Which was why fear and doubt started to raise in the minds of some individuals, giving birth to the belief, that dragons are a severe threat to all other beings. With time, the number of dragon enemies grew, and eventually they decided to wipe out their race from the face of the earth. The leadership over the group was taken by Vecta Caydranth, a descendant of a back then famous line of mages, and the ancestor of Sharish Caydranth."

"So this part of his pretty story was true... it's strange... somehow I got used to dragons and mages being the stuff of legend, but recently..."

"Well, I think every legend has a little seed of truth in it, it's just enveloped by a beautiful and colorful shell." Eugeo looked at the sky and seemed to thoughtfully pick his next words. "Unfortunately Vecta's plan was a success. The dragons were powerful, but already few at that time. Some of them tried to hide in the mountains, vast forests, swamps, and even the distant deserts, hoping they would never be found. But Vecta's persistence and capabilities turned out to be too great. In the last battle that took place in the plains in the center of Earlindon, the last three dragons sacrificed their remaining strength in order to ensure they would continue existing, even if only partially. And this is where the story connects to us."

"To us? You're not saying, that we somehow originate from dragons, do you?"

"No... and yes. You see, dragons were extremely intelligent, I dare to say, far more than humans. Their magic abilities supposedly gave them the power to see the future... for real, not just superficially..." he briefly glanced towards Itsuki's house. "They must have predicted, that Vecta, intoxicated with self-admiration and pride at his achievement, would start feeling like he can go far beyond that. That if he was able to defeat such deadly beasts, then subordinating other races should be easy... which is why those last three dragons passed the remnants of their strength to humans, so they could use them in time of need. Luckily Vecta wasn't able to accomplish much in the little time that was left to him in this world, but even then, the magic of the dragons endured, as if just in case... After Vecta's passing there was a quite big void in the darkness of history, and his deeds almost blurred out completely with passing time. And finally, after a few decades, one of his descendants started to show similar ambitions... it's just that the target of his destructive intentions are humans now, and the dragons returned to a favorable position, which I still don't fully understand... But that is the reason why the sleeping magic of the last dragons is awakening again, and together with it, the Disciples of the Last Dragons - individuals, whose family lines have been chosen by the last dragons. You are one of them, I am another."

"But... what if this danger appeared earlier, before we were born? There were a few generations between Vecta and Sharish."

"That's why I said ' _family_ _lines_ , that have been chosen by the last dragons'," Eugeo seemed amused for some reason. "If someone before Sharish would have taken up this despicable initiative, which luckily didn't happen, then this role would have fallen on one of your ancestors."

"Fine... but one more thing..."

"Yes?"

"You said there were three last dragons... and there is two of us."

"Ah, you see, we are not sure yet about who the last Disciple is..."

"'We'?"

"Yes, sorry, I didn't tell you... I live not very far from here with an acquaintance of mine. He possesses vast knowledge of ancient times and knows a few things about magic. He promised to help us to the best of his abilities, even though he doesn't feel directly connected to this matter..."

"But you do have some presumption as to who the third could be?"

"Most probably it's Asuna..."

"What?" I interrupted him. "Are you telling me that Itsuki actually wasn't lying about her? Because if so, then count me out of this."

Eugeo raised his eyebrows. "What did he tell you?"

I quickly summarized all the weird conversations I had with the swindler before today. Eugeo seemed embittered. "That's nonsense. As far as I know, Asuna is indeed living in the Silivren Forest, but she's just one of the druids, that inhabit it. Of course she possesses some magic abilities, like all of them, and it's hard to say if the stories about her derive from legend or if there really is a dim shadow of truth in it... but she certainly didn't have anything to do with your kidnapping or attempted murder. Sharish was behind it all this whole time, and I suspect this spy reversed the facts to gain your favor for him. And it seems like he really is intending to bring the dragons back to life at the expense of humans, but I still don't know how... he seems to be pursuing a dream of a country inhabited by magic beings only, dragons, mages, druids, elves..."

"But what can we do to stop him? How are we supposed to face a powerful mage? Even if we do have some magic on our own, I never sensed anything, and I most certainly have no idea how to use it."

"That's what we still need to learn. From what I know, the spectrum of our magic won't be very broad. I suspect we will be able to use minor amounts of magic in a general sense, but with major emphasis on one element: fire. No, no, you won't be breathing fire like the dragons did, don't worry," he added upon seeing my face, clearly amused.

I couldn't help but answer with a pale smile of my own. I was starting to like this strange outsider. There was something that struck me as odd about him though, but I was struggling to specify what...

"Above that," continued Eugeo, "as you already noticed, we are resistant to cold. Dragons never had problems with that. And their powers will extend our lives."

"And all that because some dragon randomly picked my family..."

"A black dragon, to be precise. You're the Disciple of Sariarin, the Black Dragon."

"And you?"

"Ralethiel, the Blue Dragon. Our third companion inherited the powers of Yrvanyss, the Red Dragoness."

"It just makes my mind boggle..."

"I know," Eugeo smiled understandingly. "But there is one more thing. With a bit of luck, we will soon grow wings."

"Come again?" I almost dropped the crystal I was rolling between my fingers.

"You heard me right. You will soon have black wings."

I nervously looked over my shoulder, scared, that they might pop out any second. "Is that... really necessary?"

Eugeo shrugged slightly. "We can't influence it. Don't worry, you will be able to make them disappear at will."

"I see... do you have yours already?"

"Not yet."

"Then how can you know... how do you know about all of this?"

"The person, who gave me our siraths told me about me being a Disciple. I will introduce him to you someday if you wish. Furthermore... you see, the dragons couldn't just give us their powers and leave us with no knowledge of how to handle them. Which is why they created something in addition to the siraths - Dracascarion, a book, that contains everything a Disciple should know."

"And you have it?"

"I do. The druids of Silivren Forest gave it to me. They were safekeeping it for decades, waiting for the time it will be needed."

"So you've been there already? Did you meet Asuna?"

"It's strange, but no. I only had a conversation with the archdruid, he explained a few things to me... Dracascarion is written in the language of dragons, and druids know it pretty well. He also told me where I could find you, but don't ask me how he knew that. When I asked about Asuna, he just told me to return after finding you, then he would tell us more."

I clenched my fingers gently around the smooth surface of my sirath. Not once, during the whole conversation, did it emit even the slightest amount of warmth. But the chilling cold was pleasant, calming even... "I think I understand roughly everything now..."

Eugeo smiled, and, seeming a bit unsure, asked timidly: "May I consider you a companion then?"

"I don't have much choice, do I?" I grinned bitterly.

"You do. You could just ignore everything I told you and forget I've ever been here."

I shook my head. "There would be consequences if I did that."

The amount of relief in Eugeo's silent sigh was almost heartwarming. He gently put one of his hands on mine, the one holding the crystal. "Then keep it with you at all times and guard it as best you can," his voice was very firm this time. "It could happen, that it will save your life one day."

I nodded. "Does yours do the same as mine?"

"No, it works a bit differently. It warns me when someone or something intends to hurt me, attack me, name it as you will."

"Pretty useful... There's just one more thing I'm curious about..."

"Ask whatever you want, that's why I'm here."

"Why did you go after me with the stone? Wouldn't it have been easier to just wait and come talk to me here, like you're doing now?"

"I just wanted to make sure it's really you, who I'm searching for. I wanted to watch your behavior for a while and see the reaction of the prophet afterwards. Besides, I knew you would follow that girl. I didn't want to distract you, her safety was far more important."

"You knew? How?"

He turned his gaze away a little. "Friends are like that... there is a connection between them, that cannot be severed, they feel eachother's emotions and are sometimes able to sense, when the other is in danger... I know something about it..."

"It's amazing, isn't it?" I grinned. "You have someone like that too?"

Eugeo's voice became an anguished whisper. "I _had_..."

I felt a sudden sting in my chest, both of guilt and compassion. It must have been an unmanageable pain... I didn't even want to think about what I would have done if Alice... "I'm sorry..." I soothed quietly.

Eugeo looked at me again, and upon seeing my expression he changed the subject, as if he felt remorse for the discomfort he caused me. "How long will you need to get ready?"

"Ready?" I tried to get back into the moment.

"We need to go to Silivren Forest again, find Asuna, learn more about what we can do and what we should do... you will help me right?"

How could I have said "no" to this apologetic look? "Oh right... well... how long can you allow me?"

He gave the question a brief thought. "Parting with your family isn't easy, all the more because you've been separated for so long until recently..." again, I didn't even ask. "You will need time to explain it to them, and they will need time to think it over and accept your decision. So maybe we should wait until spring?"

"Are you sure we can afford to waste this much time?"

"If something alarming should happen earlier, we can always just shorten that time."

"Right..."

"Then I will return when the snow starts to melt. It will be better to have that obstruction out of the way."

"So you are going back to your..." I shoved the word "friend" away from my tongue, "companion?"

Eugeo nodded. "He lives not very far from here, I'll rest there for a while." He stood up and glanced towards the east. A faint orange glow was already spreading above the trees. Dawn was about to greet the village. "Your parents must be very worried... and you must be very tired." He gave me a warm smile. "Stay well Kirito and see you soon."

He bowed slightly, put his hood back on and soon disappeared among the trees.

I sat there for a few more minutes, staring at the border of the forest. The night was escaping into the shadows of the pines, seeking shelter from the approaching day. I was wondering if what I just saw and heard happened for real. I traced an edge of the crystal with my thumb... yeah, well... maybe I really wasn't hallucinating... I looked up and observed the changing color of the sky for a moment, before sighing softly and heading home.

My mother was so relieved, that she must have forgotten to scold me for this escapade. Temporarily wanting to avoid too many questions, I said I was totally exhausted and hid underneath my blanket right after getting rid of my haversack and unnecessary clothing.

For a while I listened to Pina's purring, thinking about what happened. I didn't know what awaited me with the arrival of spring, but I had a feeling it will be something big and unique...

And I wasn't wrong.

* * *

„ _There is a source of Inspiration in the Air..._

_Let the Magic dry your Tears and heal your Heart..."_


	10. The Fake Smile

The next day greeted the village with another blizzard. I used these circumstances to calmly explain everything to my parents - the sooner I did it, the better. I decided to entrust this little secret only to the people closest to me. I knew that the word would spread anyway once I left the village, and if I told everyone at once, I probably would just be declared a madman, and maybe even locked up for my own safety.

At first my parents thought I had some crazy dream because of my exhaustion yesterday, or that I maybe caught a cold and was struggling with fever, or that I hit my head somewhere on the way to or from the mountains. But the stone that hung at my neck now, and my stubbornly repeated arguments finally managed to convince them.

Two days later I made my way to Alice's house, wanting her to be the third and last person to know about my plans. I intended to trick the weather earlier and just use the little tunnel connecting our houses, but upon going further, than I once did with Lisbeth, I discovered that it unfortunately didn't survive the two years of vanity. The moldy wooden beams gave to the weight of earth, which now blocked the path in about one third of its length.

To my surprise, despite the sun already standing high in the sky, Alice was still lying in bed. Her uncle wasn't there. "Don't tell me you're hibernating because of the weather," I joked, closing the door behind me.

"It's not that..." her voice was hoarse and speaking seemed to cause her some struggle. "I was forbidden to leave the bed..."

I noticed that she was pale, and looked quite weak. "What happened?" I came closer and sat down on the edge of the bed, looking at her with concern.

"I must have caught something because of that mountain trip... it was horrible, but old Eliphas gave me some herbs... it's getting better."

"No wonder," I smiled gently. "You're like a young birch, you may bend under the pressure of wind sometimes, but no storm will break you just like that." My attempt at cheering her up was clearly successful, because she smiled more lively, some color returning to her cheeks.

I soon revealed the main reason for my visit, and for the next minutes she listened in astonishment, all the while watching me with those big, azure eyes. Unlike my parents though, she immediately believed in every single one of my words.

"But... does that mean you will leave again?" she seemed to try to hide it, but anxiety was evident on her gentle features. "And there is no telling when you will return?"

I couldn't blame her, it was hard for me as well. In this village we were always considered a set - where I was, Alice was not far behind, and the other way around. I barely started to feel, like we've restored our bond fully again, and now I wanted to go someplace far away. I didn't even exactly know where. "I will be coming back here whenever I'll be able to, I promise," I reassured her.

"While you're at it, maybe promise me that I won't have to go and rescue you again?" she joked.

"Sure, but if you were capable of that, then it would probably mean, that the existence of Disciples is unnecessary, and you can get rid of Sharish single-handedly."

She laughed heartily and I joined her.

* * *

Two months later the days started to grow longer, and I looked forward to Eugeo's return almost with excitement. The air felt warmer, the merciless layer of snow reluctantly started to reveal the frozen ground, roofs of huts and bald tree branches. Me and Alice preferred to spend more time outside again, mostly helping to dispell the last remnants of winter untidiness. Ever since the day of Eugeo's visit, I haven't seen Itsuki even once, and was pleased with this state of things.

But even when the last stains of snow disappeared and spring enveloped Earlindon for good, the Disciple of Ralethiel, the Blue Dragon was nowhere to be seen.

One day I was helping Alice with tidying the seedbeds behind her house, once again drowned in uncertain thought. The only thing to soothe my mind a little was the bright chirping of titmouses, which I considered to be the most beautiful sign of spring. Finally Alice apparently wasn't able to stand the sight of my worried face anymore and stopped tidying the path meant for cabbage. "Are you sure that he said, he will return here? Maybe you misunderstood something and you were supposed to meet up with him somewhere?"

I struck the hoe into the hard ground one last time and paused too. "No, I'm sure he wanted to come here again," I said, but without much conviction.

She sighed and thought for a moment. "What did he even look like? Maybe it would be good to search for him in the neighborhood, maybe he got lost somewhere? When you visit a place only once in winter, it's possible to not recognize it again in spring..."

"Well..." I tried to recall the, by now a little fogged, image. "I assume he was my age... his height was close to mine too. He had green eyes and a very calm presence around him. It was kind of hard to take a good look, it was pretty dark..."

"Are you searching for someone?" came a sudden, gentle voice from behind our backs.

We turned around as if on command. Between the trees, half hidden in their shadows, stood Eugeo, an amused expression on his face. Alice just gaped, and I couldn't hold back a relieved smile. "I was starting to think that you wouldn't come at all."

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting..." he bowed his head slightly. "I got held back a little." I frowned. He seemed... weakened somehow, a little pale and fatigued.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"Yes, I'm just a little tired, please don't worry."

"How about you rest a bit and meet my parents then? They wanted to get to know you anyway, and I can prepare myself in the meantime."

"I would be grateful."

I leaned the hoe against the back wall of the house. "Oh right, introductions... Eugeo, this is Alice, my childhood friend."

Eugeo got closer and gently took one of her hands in his own. "We already know eachother in a way, but it's still a pleasure to make your acquaintance," he smiled charmingly, lifted her palm to his lips and placed the lightest of kisses on it. Alice flushed a shocking shade of cherry-red, which I thought was impossible considering the paleness of her complexion, and I had to turn away to stifle my laughter. I gave them the sign to follow me home.

While I was gathering everything that was necessary, my parents mercilessly interrogated poor Eugeo. He didn't seem to mind though, just calmly answered every question, enjoying the warmth of the hearth and a home-made meal. Not all of his answers satisfied them though. Of course he wasn't able to guarantee my safety and wasn't able to predict every single incident on our path. After all we intended to traverse a big part of Earlindon in order to get to the oldest forest of this land, that was said to be inhabited by creatures long believed extinct, we wanted to learn how to use magic and face a not very sane, but powerful enemy. So basically, we wanted to do everything that connected to the word "dangerous".

I didn't rush my preparations mostly to let Eugeo rest, but also because something about him seemed weird to me again, like at our first meeting, but I still couldn't put my finger on it. Finally I swung my haversack over my shoulder and interrupted the questioning. "Dad... I already explained all of this to you. I will be fine, don't worry."

My father just smiled, retaining whatever question was about to leave his lips.

"Are you ready?" asked Eugeo, putting the empty cup back on the table.

"I think so..."

My mother took Suguha from the bedroom and we returned outside. I looked up into the sky. The sun was high, not obscured by even a single cloud, and it pleasantly warmed the still raw soil. Perhaps that was a good sign?

I felt a hand touch my shoulder and turned slightly to look in the worried features of my mother.

"Please be careful..." her voice was breaking a little. It almost hurt me to see her like this.

"I will, I promise. I..." I had some more words prepared for this moment, but was suddenly interrupted by Suguha, who extended her tiny hands towards me.

"Kiitoo..." she mumbled.

We both looked at her with raised eyebrows. It was her first more or less clearly said word, and we could even tell what she meant. I smiled and gently took one of her little hands between my fingers, which earned me a happy laugh. "Not 'mama', not 'papa', but 'Kiito'?" I asked, allowing her to squeeze and shake my index finger a little. "I feel honored, my lady." I placed a light kiss on her palm and turned to my father.

When I was done saying my farewells to him, and then to the teary-eyed Alice, I joined Eugeo, who was watching us from respectful distance. I looked at my beloved ones once more and smiled reassuringly. "I will be back," I looked Alice in the eyes. "I promise I will."

Eugeo bowed gracefully and made his way into the depths of the forest. But before I could turn around as well, we suddenly heard a slightly panicked female voice: "Kirito!"

I glanced towards two nearby cottages, between which the workshop of the blacksmith could be seen further back. A figure was running towards us, cheeks dusted with soot a little, something pressed to the chest by delicate hands.

Lisbeth stopped in front of me and caught her breath for a few seconds. "Kirito... I wanted to give you something before you go..." she managed, finally raising her head to look me in the eyes with determination.

"But how did you..."

"I'm sorry..." muttered Alice. "I told her that you're leaving, I didn't mean to, it just slipped out..."

They both had such ashamed and apologetic looks on their angelic faces, that I never would have managed to get angry. I knew how close those two have grown together since Lisbeth started her life among us, and I was really in no place to blame Alice for sharing her deepest worries with a good friend.

"It's alright," I gave them a reassuring smile. "If it's just Lisbeth, then I don't mind at all."

The young blacksmith smiled with relief and held her hands out to me. Something slim rested in her palms, it had the size of my forearm and was wrapped up in a piece of rough fabric. "Please take it with you on your journey..."

I carefully took the gift and unwrapped it. It was a dagger, at first glance not very different from many others I've seen in my life. But as soon as my fingers brushed the surface of the blade, I immediately felt, that it was fundamentally different. It was heavy, but not too much, perfectly balanced between comfort and deadliness. The leather surrounding the hilt was layered with careful precision, the steel of the blade had a shifting shadow to it, that showed countless hours of work that went into its creation. It was simple, but this wasn't just the work of a craftsman who did his job for a living because that's what his ancestors have been doing for decades. It was a weapon created with instinct and passion of a genius, who put his worry for me and the warmest wishes of my wellbeing into each strike of the hammer.

"Is this...?"

"It's the first work I finished all on my own," Lisbeth fiddled with the hem of her dirty work shirt. "I know it's not very fancy and I didn't have the time to sort out a sheath for it, but..."

"It's perfect..." I whispered.

She lifted her head in surprise and looked me in the eyes.

"I mean it Lisbeth, if this is what you can do after just a few months of training, then in a few years you will be the greatest blacksmith in all of Earlindon."

She blinked a few times, clearly fighting tears. Even so, she gave me a beautiful smile. "Please be careful..."

"Of course I will. You have risked your own life to help my heart return where it belongs. There is no way I'm wasting that gift."

This time Lisbeth wasn't able to hold back. She covered her face with her hands and started sobbing quietly. Alice walked up and embraced her gently. "Go, before someone else tries to stop you," she told me with a sad smile, letting Lisbeth rest her forehead on her shoulder and stroking her back.

I bowed lightly, like Eugeo did before and when he took the first step into the forest, I finally followed. It was hard... I felt like a piece of my heart just ripped from the rest of it and stayed behind my back. But at the same time I had a feeling, that it was worth it. That something really wonderful was awaiting me ahead... Every now and then I looked over my shoulder, but when the little group disappeared behind the curtain of trees, I turned resolutely in the direction of our march.

"I hope you don't regret your decision," Eugeo's voice reached my torn mind.

"What? No no, don't worry. It's not like I'm leaving forever, I will see them again... right?"

"Things can turn out in diverse ways..." he seemed to pick his words very carefully. "I wouldn't want to discourage you, but..."

"Then don't finish, please," I interrupted him. "I don't want to get discouraged either, so let's not expand this topic. We shouldn't worry about things we don't know will even happen right?"

Eugeo just smiled gently and nodded.

That. That was it.

I suddenly realized what bothered me about him this entire time. His smiles didn't seem very genuine. Not in the sense, that I felt like he was being dishonest, but... it was like his lips were smiling, but his eyes were unable to. They were emotionless, green like a forest lake, its water starting to bloom in spring, but still being cold from the remaining winter chill... Could it have had something to do with what he told me about when we first met eachother...?

"You still don't look very good," I stated, wanting to shove away those unpleasant thoughts. "Did something happen on your way here? Maybe we should rest a bit before going further?"

"Nothing happened, I'm just a little tired, that's all. I can manage until evening."

I frowned. I thought I felt a tiny gleam of warmth on my chest beneath my shirt but it died out immediately. I felt completely confused now. Why would Eugeo lie if he knew exactly, that I would notice it? Or maybe the flicker of heat was just my imagination? But even if it wasn't, I didn't feel like asking him about it, I was sure it would be tactless. Everyone had the right to have their secrets, and he wasn't obligated to tell me everything... but wasn't he? It was because of him, that I left my family again and was on my way to who knows where... no, that wasn't quite right either. It wasn't his fault that some crazy mage was about to go on rampage...

I sighed and told my brain to stop trying to be logical.

In the meantime Eugeo calmly led me through the forest. After about two hours we left the shelter of the trees and wandered a narrow path, meandering on the edge of a cliff at the border of an enormous valley. There was a little strand of trees that passed beyond the downcast beneath it, their crowns swayed lazily almost close enough to touch. The grassland was divided by the bright ribbons of two rivers, in spate from the recent thaw. They eventually connected somewhere in the distance. The plain itself was still a bit faded, speckled with darks spots of enormous solitary trees and groves of bushes with occasional young birches. Far away, beneath the western horizon we saw a massif of huge mountains, that stood like a majestic barrier at the border of the valley, and a bit closer, in the south, loomed the dark expanse of a vast forest.

We left the path upon finding a gentle slope and descended into the valley. When dusk arrived and the edge of the young moon, growing for the last three days, appeared above the horizon, we stopped underneath a branchy hornbeam, standing lonely among the grasslands. We sat down underneath its strong branches. The outmost twigs were covered with tiny, light green buds.

"You are so silent..." started Eugeo suddenly, when we finished stacking little branches from nearby scrubs into a campfire. "Is something wrong?"

"What? No... no I'm fine, why would something be wrong?"

But he seemed to sense the uneasiness in my tone. "You look like something is worrying you."

"Well... I just..."

"So there is something after all."

I sighed. I really wasn't keen to reveal my thoughts about his behavior. Eugeo sat down on the yellowish grass at my side comfortably. "If there is some problem, you can just tell me," his voice was warm and gentle as usual, which didn't exactly help me in this situation. "After all it's only the two of us for now, I think we need to help eachother if it's necessary."

I looked him in the eyes, into this lifeless, cold green... and lowered my head almost in the same moment. Now I really felt, like I don't want to talk about this.

But he seemed to understand even without words. "Oh... it's about that..." he turned his gaze away, as if not wanting to cause me any more discomfort. He started striking a fire.

"Why...?" I asked finally. "They are so..."

"I know... most people seem to notice it, but I think you're the first one I'm talking about this with. I'm not sure, but I think it started when Sitriel... died..."

"Your friend...?" Eugeo just hung his head, so I tried to soothe him: "I'm sorry... I shouldn't have asked and reminded you..."

"It's not your fault. I wish it would come to an end too... I just don't know what to do to stop thinking about it..."

"Maybe another friendship would help? I think you know very well, what a bond like that can achieve..."

"No Kirito... better not..." Eugeo made sure, that the flames enveloped the branches for good, wrapped himself up in his coat and laid down. Apparently he concluded that to be the end of the conversation.

I felt that jab of guilt again. I went too far... We hardly even knew eachother, I shouldn't be saying things like that so carelessly...

I sighed and covered myself a bit with my light blanket. That wasn't quite the beginning of the adventure that I've envisioned...

* * *

_„When everything is made to be broken..._

_I just want you to know who I am…"_


	11. The Whisper of Scars

The next day Eugeo was behaving like nothing has happened. He was as kind and understanding as ever, but his eyes stayed all the same. After having a small breakfast and before the morning dew dried on the grass and leaf buds, we made our way towards the dark line of trees on the south border of the valley. I've been hearing stories about the Silivren Forest since I was very little, but never suspected it was actually that close.

Around midday we arrived at the bank of one of the rivers, close to its connection point with the other we saw from above the day before. Eugeo explained to me, or rather refreshed the memory of one of chief counsel Chudelkin's lectures, that one of them, which had its spring in the Elkander Mountains and was passing just beside our village was known as Istria. It was also called the Royal River, because the capital of Earlindon has been built around its banks. The second river, which came from north-west, was called Yesta. It circled around a small hill in the vicinity of a ford that we crossed, squinting at the beautifully glittering water that was caressing small stones in the riverbed. Not far ahead it flowed into the Royal River, on the bowstring of which we continued further south.

It took us another day to reach our destination, but when we finally arrived by the next evening, it took my breath away.

We stopped for a moment at the border of the Silivren Forest. I've seen practically nothing of it yet, and it already seemed to me like the woods were alive, living their own, undisturbed life. Something was murmuring silently between the branches, despite them not having fully developed leaves yet, and not the faintest gust of wind being present. The forest itself seemed to radiate a pleasant, gentle warmth, like a living being... Already here I spotted some plants I've never seen before, and there were a lot more in the depths of the wood for sure. The river, which converged with our path again not long ago, slipped in between the trees and disappeared somewhere in the distance, in their soft shadows.

"How do you like it?" asked Eugeo quietly upon seeing my fascinated stare.

"It's amazing..." I whispered, taking a few more steps forward and carefully touching the trunk of one of the countless, beautiful trees. The bark was chapped and seemed very old, but it was soft, almost ethereal... I wasn't the superstitious type, but all those whispers, the feeling that the forest formed one enormous, living and breathing entity, stroke a spark of fear within me...

I finally turned my gaze away and looked at my companion. "Is it really alright to just enter this place?"

"Of course. We have nothing to fear as long as we don't bring any malicious intent. Only if you entered the forest wanting to hurt any of its inhabitants... well, I'll put it this way: there hasn't been a single being that disturbed the balance of this forest without paying the ultimate price shortly after."

I watched the branches sway silently for a moment. "You've been here already right?"

"Yes."

"And nothing happened?"

He gave me an inquiring look. "Are you scared?"

"Maybe a little," I admitted, smiling nervously.

"There is no reason for that," he reassured me. "As long as you will be a friend to the forest, the forest will also be a friend to you."

We resumed our march. Eugeo was right. As soon as we passed the first line of trees, for some reason I started to feel entirely safe, as if we entered a place where fear could be erased from the soul... The forest was still whispering something soothingly, sometimes the crystalline burbling of the now invisible river pierced through these whispers on our right. Even though the time of bloom was still some weeks away, the forest emitted a pleasantly dizzying scent. I just let Eugeo lead me, savoring the surroundings and not caring much about the direction. He seemed to know where he was going well enough.

The trees were just starting to get more dense, when I caught some movement with the corner of my eye. I stopped involuntarily and turned a little. Among the forest's undergrowth I noticed a strange creature... it looked like a big snake at first, but it... had wings. Impressive wings, with feathers in color of half a rainbow. For a moment, I just stood there, completely dazed. Then I felt Eugeo's hand on my shoulder and forced my gaze away for a moment. He put a finger to his lips and crouched in between the scrubs. I followed his example.

"It's a couatl," he whispered.

"A what?" I tried to be equally quiet, but my excitement didn't make it easy for me.

"Couatl. There are many magical creatures in this forest, and this is one of them. Coutals are harmless hybrids."

"Hybrids?"

Eugeo seemed subtly amused by my curiosity, but proceeded to explain with the patience of a teacher: "Hybrids are creatures that are born from two different species, I think you can see which in this case. Long ago mages used to create vast numbers of hybrids, because the only thing they needed was a piece of each "component" animal, a feather for example. But creating hybrids was prohibited by the now nonexistent Mage Council, because most of these beasts turned out to be quite dangerous. Couatls are one of the few exceptions, they are very tame and intelligent."

I watched the intriguing creature for a bit longer with never fading fascination. When the initial shock passed, I noticed more untypical traits beside the obvious wings. The body of the couatl was much thicker than any snake's I've ever seen, and there were strange protrusions on the sides of its snout, that somehow reminded me of fish fins. The tip of the tail was adorned with a few feathers as well. I never would have imagined that such beings inhabited our land. It felt like over the past few months the world I lived in expanded to three times the size I knew it from before my abduction. And spending time with Eugeo somehow intensified the feeling, that there were so many things I still didn't know...

When the creature finally withdrew deeper into the forest, no doubt searching for food, we stood up and continued down the path.

We didn't come far though, when Eugeo stopped abruptly and looked over his shoulder.

"What is it?" I asked, stopping as well.

"Nothing, it's just... did you hear that strange sound?"

"No, I didn't hear anything," I started to look around, listening intently. But no peculiar noises reached my ears.

"Maybe it was just my imagination," Eugeo stated finally, but was still frowning a little. "Let's go."

From now on I listened to the sounds of the forest with double attentiveness, trying to pick up what disturbed my companion that much.

And after a few minutes, I indeed heard.

There were tiny, gentle noises entwining with the murmur of the forest, like faint jingling, bright and clear, not quite like from a tiny bell, but rather small, metal plates or crystal chalices meeting irregularly... This time we both turned around, searching for the source of the sound.

"You heard, right?" asked Eugeo.

"This time yes, but... what is that?"

"I don't know..."

"Maybe I'll tell you, if you will tell me, what such two handsome boys are looking for in this forest?" we suddenly heard, and instantly turned back.

A bit further down the path laid a big rock between the trees, covered by moss. On top of it sat a young girl clad in a deep green, knee-long gown thrown over thin trousers, tied at the waist with a sash. Her long, flowing chestnut hair seemed to glint golden in the occasional sun rays, that made their way to the bottom of the forest. She looked so fascinating it felt dangerous.

My reaction to this appearance could have been described as being dumbstruck. Eugeo seemed simply speechless.

The girl watched us for a few moments with gentle surprise on her beautiful features. For some reason she looked around shortly, before turning back to us. "You can't tell me I'm more terrifying than that couatl you've met a while back?"

Eugeo finally found his voice again. "Forgive us, you've appeared so suddenly..."

The girl laughed lightheartedly. "No, forgive me, I didn't mean to scare you," she hopped down from the rock and approached us. I felt my heartbeat slowly returning to normal. "Who are you then and what brings you here?" she asked in a friendly tone.

"We are searching for Asuna, a girl living in this forest."

"Oh? And why is that?" the stranger looked at Eugeo with interest.

"We need to ask her something about an important matter."

The girl was silent for a few moments. "Ask away then," she finally said, obvious amusement in her voice.

Eugeo's eyebrows raised slightly. "It's you? You are Asuna?"

She just gave him a hearty smile, dispelling our doubts. At this point Eugeo seemed to hesitate a little, as if he didn't know where to start. Before he could patch together a coherent sentence though, Asuna glanced shortly in my direction, tilted her head a little in what seemed to be surprise and approached me slowly.

She was about my height... and breathtakingly beautiful. The color of her hair and the way they were tied at the back of her head made her look angelic and a little mischievous at the same time. Her hazel eyes looked into mine with piercing sharpness, but they were warm and kind. She bent slightly, looking at the crystal on my neck with the same curiosity that I was watching her with. I was sure my cheeks were practically on fire already, but she didn't seem to care much. I didn't know what to do, so I choose silence just in case. Finally she gave Eugeo another look, as if searching for a sirath in between his clothes as well and asked: "You're the Disciples of the Last Dragons?"

"Yes?"

Her eyes sparked with a returning memory. "That's right, you were here not so long ago, weren't you? I saw you from afar, when you were talking to archdruid Arakiel..." she thought for a few seconds. "Your name is Eugeo, right?"

"Yes. Then you must also know, that we are searching for the third Disciple."

"And you think it's me?"

Eugeo nodded, clearly a bit unsure. "Did you notice anything strange about yourself recently, something that could indicate you're one of us?"

"You mean... something like this?" Asuna raised her left hand a little and opened her palm. Suddenly a tiny flame came to life between her fingers, a little tongue of fire that started to flicker lively, not even touching her skin. I just opened my mouth, totally speechless.

"So it is you..." mumbled Eugeo absently.

Asuna gave him another of her radiant smiles and lowered her hand. The flame disappeared.

"Then I guess we're at full strength now..." I managed finally. "That was quick."

Asuna looked me in the eyes silently for a few moments, which made me blush again perceptibly. Fortunately, she chose not to make any comments about it, and instead asked: "Aren't you Kirito?"

I blinked. "How..."

"Oh don't worry, there are still countless surprises ahead of you on your path as a Disciple," she answered evasively. I had a feeling that any explanations were pointless in front of her. She already knew more than me and Eugeo combined. Asuna turned to Eugeo again and asked: "Do you have some plans already?"

"Well... we should find out where Sharish is currently staying and what exactly he's planning for the nearest future. But most importantly we need to work on our abilities, although, to be honest, I don't know much about it... and we should do it in some secluded place in order to prevent any harm to anyone."

"Not here then, because the consequences could be tragic."

"I know."

"What do you suggest then?" Asuna's tone indicated, that she knew, that Eugeo already had some idea.

"I suggest we move to my acquaintance's house. He lives in a rather desolate place and is already aware of the situation. And to be honest... I think he would almost feel offended if we refused his offer..."

"Sounds like an interesting character," Asuna chuckled quietly. "Today though I would like to invite you to our camp. The sun is almost down, and we are not in that much of a hurry... we could leave tomorrow morning. What do you say?"

Eugeo gave me a questioning look. "I wouldn't mind seeing a bit more of the forest and having a good rest," I said, and he gladly agreed.

We allowed Asuna to lead us deeper into the forest. We were accompanied by two curious squirrels, that appeared and disappeared among the branches like two orange fen fires. The camp turned out to be fairly close, after just a few minutes we noticed the glow of campfire shining through the tree trunks.

The place was literally wild. There were about thirty sturdy hovels dispersed between the trees around a small clearing. Various birds were perching on the twigs that stuck out of the roofings here and there, chirping a little sleepily already. At the border of this tiny village I noticed a brook, reflecting the golden remnants of daylight. To my bewilderment I saw a few does quenching their thirst there, completely ignoring the two druids, that were washing wooden dishes just across the water. The soft air was warm and filled with some delicate indefinable smell.

Asuna lead us straight to the biggest hovel, standing beside the fire, that blazed in the middle of the clearing. Judging by the faint, essential scent, it has just recently been lit. There was a man in a long robe sitting by it, smoking a pipe. When Asuna came to a stop in front of him and bowed her head slightly, he looked up. I estimated the druid to be around sixty five to seventy years old, but the eyes that locked with mine with curiosity were much younger. Only the delicate netting of wrinkles suggested his real age.

He watched me and Eugeo in silence for a moment, then stood up, and a hearty, warm smile made its way to his lips. "It's a pleasure to see you again, dear Eugeo," his voice was deep, pleasant to the ear. "I'm glad you were able to find your companion," he added, turning to me. "I'm honored to meet you Kirito, I'm Arakiel, and I hold the function of the archdruid here."

"It's a honor for me," I bowed my head with respect.

"I assume you invited them to stay with us tonight, Asuna?"

"Yes master."

"Feel at home then. Rest to your heart's content, tomorrow I can answer all of your questions and you can continue down the path of destiny."

We thanked the archdruid and followed Asuna again. Evening wafted between the trees, the western part of the sky above the forest took on the color of amaranth.

"Would you like to wander around a bit more or ask me something?" asked Asuna, watching my curious gaze scanning the surroundings. "Or maybe you would like to go to sleep already?"

"I would prefer the last option..." I murmured, feeling tired despite all the fresh excitement.

She led us through the camp, not paying much attention to the intrigued stares of the other druids. I had to blink more rapidly sometimes, because the clothing of most of them was in various shades of green, gray and brown, and it was hard to spot them in between the greenery until they actually moved. Among the soft shadows, that slowly shrouded the forest, we suddenly noticed a lonely hovel leaned on the resin-smelling trunk of a tall spruce, a bit away from the others.

"It's not the biggest, but I think it will be enough for two," Asuna said, placing a hand on one of the branches close to the top of it.

"Is this... yours?" asked Eugeo.

"Yes?"

"Where will you be sleeping then?"

"Oh don't worry. I rarely even come here, I prefer to sleep in the open. Make yourselves at home, I'll bring you something to eat."

When she left, we carefully entered the hovel. It was quite cozy. The ground was covered with a few blankets and three little pillows rested in the back. There were tiny slits between the branches in the walls, through which we could see the quickly darkening sky and the gleam of one of the smaller campfires nearby.

I freed myself from my haversack and pulled one of the pillows closer, when Asuna returned. She kneeled down by the entrance and carefully handed us two wooden pans, their grips shaped like entwined grapevine twigs. One of them was full of various fruits, the other held two freshly roasted fish.

"Don't hold back, they're really delicious," she said with a smile and, after wishing us a good night, disappeared again.

There was a moment of silence.

"She's so..."

"Fantastically affectionate," I helped Eugeo find the right words. I took one of the fish from the pan. It had the pleasant smell of juniper smoke. "I think it will be good to have her with us... but who even are these people? Why do they live in such a secluded and wild place?"

"I think this is just the place where they feel most comfortable, besides, they guard this forest. They are descendants of elves and human mages. So you could basically say that they are half-elves, but they didn't inherit many of the magic abilities..."

"I see..."

We enjoyed the rest of the meal in silence, while I wondered where Eugeo took all this knowledge from. I would expect to find this kind of information only in Ioreth's royal library...

When we laid down comfortably about ten minutes later, Eugeo put his hands behind his head, stared at the roofing for a few seconds and spoke unexpectedly: "Kirito..." I gave him a sleepy mumble, so he continued: "When you said, that it would be good to have Asuna with us... you meant that it would be good for me, because her attitude could lift my spirits, didn't you?" I opened my eyes. "Does my state really concern you that much?"

I sighed silently. "You said it yourself... it's just the two of us now, well now three, and it's not like you're the only one who feels responsible for the others. We all should take care of eachother. I don't want to believe, that this state will last your whole lifetime..." I trailed off, biting my lip. I was going too far again...

"Do you wish to know... how my friend died?" Eugeo whispered calmly. I wasn't sure. I probably would have been better off not knowing. But when I didn't answer, Eugeo continued: "It wasn't some simple, common cause like disease or accident... He was killed, Kirito... he died for me, because of me, even though it should have been me, who paid that price back then..."

"What?" I wasn't able to stop that word from getting past my lips.

Eugeo took a few breaths, as if trying to calm himself. "It was roughly one year ago..." his voice was trickling in the darkness like an invisible, sad brook. "A man appeared in my hometown. I've never seen him before, but when I happened to meet him, while I was alone, he quickly gave me to understand what his purpose was. He was an emissary of Sharish and came to kill me, just like you were meant to be eliminated. Before I could do anything though, Sitriel appeared out of nowhere to stand in his way... it happened so quickly, I hardly registered anything... and after that... the assassin just left me there. He came for one purpose exclusively, but didn't even touch me in the end... Maybe he thought that I wouldn't constitute any threat to Sharish anymore after he murdered my best friend or that I would just end my own life in my grief... To be honest I thought about doing that a few times, I still don't know why I didn't..."

I could almost see how every single word touched the wounds on Eugeo's heart and lacerated them anew. I wasn't able to do anything, just listen to the anguished sound of his gentle voice. I tried putting myself in this situation, but soon gave up again upon feeling this unpleasant sting in my chest.

Eugeo then turned slowly to face me. "You're a bit like him you know...?" he whispered. "I don't mean the looks, but the nature... he usually pretended like not much could faze him, but on the inside he was always concerned for the people around him... sometimes his pride got the best of him, he could be ridiculously stubborn, and yet sometimes so withdrawn and considerate it was hard to believe it all fitted into one personality..." despite all the sadness in his voice, Eugeo wasn't able to hold back a little smile.

I for my part felt an urge to object to certain traits that he listed, but upon giving it a deeper thought I had to agree to a certain level... I realized that I shifted my behavior towards him as soon as I realized the dead look in his eyes. It felt like the times at the royal castle, when I wasn't sure how to behave when I came face to face with something that didn't sit right in my mind... He wasn't like the people from the village, which I knew since I was born and treated like family. He was like someone exotic, who I suddenly needed to adapt to from scratch.

"Well then..." I finally spoke. "If we're so similar, what stands in the way of us being friends then?"

Eugeo let out another heavy sigh. "I'm sorry, but I would rather not... I guess I'm afraid of getting closer to anyone since that day... it just hurt too much..."

I opened my mouth again, but backed down in the last second. I really didn't want to further renew the wounds he revealed to me. I was kind of glad, that he trusted me enough to show them, but on the other hand I deeply regretted that we even started this topic. A delicate wind picked up outside, and together with it the forest spoke up. The subtle rustle got quieter, then louder again and it felt like the forest started to breathe...

And there was one more apologetic breath at my side: "Please don't bother yourself with me Kirito... it's not worth it..."

I started to feel like I've made a mistake in my decision after all...

* * *

„ _If everyone cared and nobody cried…_

_If everyone loved and nobody lied…_

_If everyone shared and swallowed their pride…_

_Then we'd see the day when nobody died…"_


	12. The Shades of Black

Asuna's bright voice woke us up early in the morning. I rolled onto my back and started rubbing my eyes. Despite the perceptibly fresh hour I felt wellrested and pleasantly relaxed. It all went away pretty quickly though, when the memory of yesterday's evening crystallized from my sleepy thoughts. Incredibly angry at myself, a little bit at Eugeo and quite depressed, I snatched my haversack and left the hovel. For now, I wanted to avoid any conversations until my mind settled down.

"Did you get a good sleep?" asked Asuna, when a little fox fled from her side at my appearance.

"Oh yes, it was wonderful..."

My gloomy face didn't escape her notice though. "Are you sure? Did something happen?"

"No, don't worry... may I freshen up by the brook?"

"Of course... you need it, I have no idea how you managed to convince your hair to do that overnight."

Not very surprised by that comment, I made my way to the place where I saw the does yesterday, trying to avoid the kind looks of the other druids. The sun wasn't very high yet, not enough, to fall into the clearing. The golden rays merely touched the tree tops surrounding it. I kneeled down by the bank, scooped some water in my hands and splashed it right into my face. It practically burned with cold, but that brought me to my senses.

I felt like an intrusive idiot. I wanted to help Eugeo, but he seemed to not even want to know that word. He couldn't stay like this forever, but how to make that clear to him? Or rather: how to make clear to him, that accepting help is the first step out of it? I could understand his fear, but was a life like that really worth living? Although maybe... maybe I still knew too little about his situation. And about him overall. It was easy for me to talk about fighting the pain, but for Eugeo it might be an unfeasible effort. I sighed, recalling the words of the reticent archery teacher from the royal castle: _"To speak without thinking resembles shooting without aiming"_...

I splashed more water in my face and shook my head, trying to stop the thoughts. I took a closer look at myself in the water's surface and, stating that Asuna was right to be stunned, started to civilize my looks. Even a little sparrow, swinging on a nearby twig, seemed to find my doings amusing.

I glanced towards Asuna's hovel, where she and Eugeo were discussing something quietly. For a moment I felt like I didn't fit among them... She was so graceful and confident, he was so balanced and almost dignified... I got up and stared miserably at the silvery water for a moment.

It was then, that I heard the gentle jingle at my side. I turned to look into Asuna's beautiful eyes. "Something is troubling you," she stated softly, looking at me with concern. There was a leather bag already hanging on her shoulder, the strap crossing her shapely chest.

"Must be your imagination," I forced a smile, trying not to blush again. "Can we set off?"

"Yes, after breakfast..."

We had it with the archdruid. Eugeo used this time to ask him various questions, but I didn't quite register most of them. Half an hour later we left the camp with all the other druids bidding us farewell. I noticed that they were mostly adults in the prime of life, there were hardly any children... They waved after Asuna, joyfully, but with a hint of grief at her departure.

We went back the same way we came here, along the same subtly marked path among the whispering blades of grass. When we arrived at the valley again, Eugeo led us north-west.

If it weren't for Asuna, we probably would have remained silent throughout the whole journey. She knew how to draw us into a conversation though, asking us various more or less important things, from our age, to our opinions on some life matters. And she always knew where to stop. Her loveable and warm attitude finally dispelled my gloom, and even Eugeo seemed livelier than usual. I was right about her...

Sometimes I even wondered, if she possessed some sort of mental abilities. On the second evening of our journey, when two rabbits were already roasting above our little campfire, she seemingly casually asked Eugeo why the hilt of the sword he carried was always covered by a clean cloth all the way to the scabbard. It didn't make much sense in terms of self-defense.

"Well..." he hesitated, as if fearing that his answer could seem dumb to us. "I don't want it to get damaged... I rarely even use it anyway..."

It really did seem kind of ridiculous, because the purpose of a sword wasn't to look neat, it was to serve your own safety. However, when Asuna convinced him to show it to us, I instantly rebuked that thought.

This wasn't just a simple weapon. It was a piece of art. The hilt was made of some silvery metal that I've never seen before, pure in appearance and sturdy by feel. The white leather surrounding the grip was spiraling up to the guard, which was adorned by sky-blue jewels, delicately sculptured vines and a single, beautifully detailed rose in the middle of it.

I reached out completely unconsciously, as if not me, but some inner instinct wanted to touch the sword and wield it if only just for a moment. The next second though I retreated my hand a bit, feeling Eugeo's stare on me.

I looked him in the eyes hesitantly, but he just smiled and extended it to me, hilt first. "Go on, I don't mind," he said softly.

I almost beamed, circled my fingers around the smooth leather grip and pulled the sword out of its sheath.

The blade was just as stunning as the rest. It wasn't decorated at all, but what mesmerized me was the material it was made of. It definitely wasn't any metal. My first thought was, that it was crystal, but that didn't sit right either. The semi-translucent blade didn't let the glow of campfire through, it seemed to capture it inside of itself, refracting and reflecting it endlessly.

Without asking for further permission I stood up, took a few steps back and swung the sword a couple of times. It was flawlessly balanced and seemed to know exactly what the wielder thought of with every movement.

Eugeo rose as well and I suddenly regained my senses. I was ready to apologize and give the weapon back to him, but to my surprise he simply took my hand, that held the sword, in both of his and lifted it to a level just below my chest. "You seem to have a good understanding of the sword," he said appreciatingly. "But with this particular one you might find it better..." he gently repositioned my hand on the grip a little and just slightly spread my index and middle fingers apart, "like this. And try not to put this much tension into the muscles of your wrist. Allow them to have a little more freedom of movement."

He then backed away again and I turned slightly to give it another few tries. It certainly felt better, and the sword seemed to respond to my movements with even greater gladness.

I didn't even know when I started to ask Eugeo question after question and he started answering and showing me things like there was nothing more entertaining to him in this world.

All the while I felt Asuna watching us, enjoying the sight and I could almost see her smiling the entire time. She knew... somehow she knew, that if she brushed this topic, our minds would turn their backs on reality and start a boyish adventure on their own.

I almost regretted being someone, by whom these boyish adventures elicited a reaction in form of a grumbling stomach. But when Asuna took the rabbits down and started to slice the meat onto our bread, there was one thing that repaid me for the spoiled fun and caused a delighted smile: Eugeo's stomach echoed equally eagerly.

On the third day after leaving the Silivren Forest and after the last night among a cluster of trees close to the northern border of the valley, we set off at the chilly hour of daybreak. The red patch of sun was just appearing above the horizon, restoring colors to the nature, but in the west the world was still sleeping in the soft gray-blue, in the direction of which the shadows were bowing. We were approaching the forest, leaving dark tracks where we erased the morning dew from the grass and stems of herbs.

"Why do I feel like I'm returning home?" I asked at some point, when we walked the nearly invisible path, winding between the trees like a small stream.

"Probably because this is the very same forest, but some way to the west from your village," explained Eugeo.

Before I could ask anything else, Asuna suddenly cut into the conversation. "Say... are you feeling alright, Kirito?"

"Sorry?"

"Do you feel alright?" she repeated. "You're pale, as if you have a fever..."

I had to admit I felt a bit weird and was pretty tired, but I assumed it was the result of the long wander. Besides, I didn't want to complain and delay the journey. But if it was so clearly visible, then maybe I really did catch something...?

"Well, we've been on the way for quite long," Eugeo agreed with my thoughts, watching me attentively. "We will soon reach our destination, you will be able to rest properly."

Indeed, not half an hour passed, until we saw a clearing ahead, sun reflections on some large body of water and the "house" of Eugeo's acquaintance...

In reality it was downright a little palace, its three storey mass towering over the surrounding expanses of long, silky grass. The main entrance was half hidden in the shadow of a little balcony on the first floor, supported by two pillars sculptured delicately like tree trunks. In the western corner a small tower protruded from the frontage, cylindrical at the bottom, hexagonal at the top. Behind it I could see the border of a garden and a stable further back, from which the neigh of horses was reaching us every now and then. The mansion's windows were tall, the walls bright and behind them we could see the azure surface of a vast lake, that complemented the feeling of harmonious entity.

All of that together had to be at least the size of half the royal castle, gardens included.

"You call this a 'house'?" the shocked question escaped Asuna's lips. "That's... a palace!"

"Well, yes... but Kaan always says it's a normal house, like any other..." Eugeo gave her a meaningful look, as if wanting to tell us, that his acquaintance is not exactly normal.

It was then, that the enormous front door opened and two figures emerged to meet us. One of them was an elegantly clad young man of average height and dark brown hair, the other, smaller but massy, a big dog with silvery-black fur, looking more like a domesticated wolf.

"Welcome," the host greeted us with a cheerful smile. His face had something aristocratic to it, but very serene at the same time, his emerald eyes had a spark that showed a rich personality. "I didn't expect you to return at full strength so fast," he put his left hand to his chest and bowed his head slightly. "My name is Kaan. I follow my own path through the dark times, but with some luck our paths may be parallel to eachother for a while." He then extended his hand to shake mine. "You must be Kirito. Eugeo told me about you."

I nodded. "It's a pleasure."

"Likewise," Kaan gave me another smile and his gaze turned towards Asuna. A hint of amazement crossed his young features. "I was expecting one of the Disciples to be a woman, but not that it would be one so gorgeous..." He approached her, gently took one of her hands and lifted it to his lips, never touching her skin. A more lively color dusted Asuna's cheeks, but maybe it was just the sun's reflection. "Would you please reveal your name to me?"

"Asuna..."

Our host nodded, not seeming very surprised. "I admit, I suspected it would be you, my lady. Allow me to introduce my friend, Sivath."

The dog waved his tail upon hearing his name. I crouched and the beautiful beast came closer, then proceeded to sniff the trousers on my knee, then my carefully extended hand. He had the bluest eyes I've ever seen in my life. I saw in them, that he already memorized the newcomers and categorized them as friends of his master, to which he could allow entrance onto the mansion's premise.

"I'm sure you would like to get some rest, you look tired," Kaan glanced at me with a hint of worry. "You especially, Kirito."

I lifted my gaze from the dog. Was it really visible so clearly...?

We soon followed our host inside. A storied room with magnificent stairs leading to the first floor and a gallery surrounding it served as the entrance hall. The mansion presented itself with almost royal greatness. Golden finishing adorned the furniture, the walls were covered by maple wood up to half of their height, soft carpets were preventing the marble floors from emitting too much chill to the interior. Kaan led us through a hallway on the first floor, decorated with potted plants. At the end of it I noticed a door, partially transparent due to the glass elements, that made it look like a flowery stained glass window. He moved a light curtain away and opened it.

On the other side spread the weirdest, and at the same time the most stunning sight I've ever witnessed.

Before us stood another, a bit smaller building. The distance between it and the main part of the mansion was around twenty meters, which made the other building stand mostly in the clear water of the lake. Both parts were connected by a bridge at the level of the first floor, esthetically harmonized with the rest of the residence. The balustrades were decorated with occasional lanterns in form of tiny towers.

"This part is meant only for you three," explained our host with a hint of pride in his voice. "I had it built exclusively for this purpose."

I didn't even realize I was gaping. A building this huge just for three people? And built by someone, who had nothing to do with all this, who shouldn't even care about our accommodation and anything that we did? I started wondering if Eugeo sometimes got surprised at how crazy his acquaintance actually was.

The surroundings were bewitching in their beauty as well. At both sides of the bridge we had a not very broad but wonderful view of the forest wreathing the lake, here and there the shores lit up with golden sand. The rest was unfortunately obscured by the two buildings.

All of that magnificence would have probably fascinated me even more, if it weren't for the steadily worsening discomfort I was feeling. A headache and a slight pain beneath my shoulderblades joined the harmless tiredness and feeling of heat, but I tried to calm myself by thinking that all those hours of carrying my haversack were at fault. I tried to ignore Asuna's concerned stares as we walked across the bridge and entered the smaller building.

First came a kind of anteroom, from which three doors lead to three bedrooms. There were also two sets of fancifully curved stairs, one leading up, the other - down, through an oval opening in the floor. Each of the bedrooms had an impressive bed with a half-canopy and delicate, transparent curtains, satin bedsheets and a ridiculous set of pillows in various sizes. The interiors were completed by solid furniture made from wooden elements joined without a single nail or other binders. Each bedroom had its own set of colors: navy-blue, scarlet and a deep forest-green.

I curiously peeked into the first one, because it looked like the only one that was lived in, and that was the last thing I saw clearly.

I suddenly felt a pain so sharp, that I had to lean on the wall in order not to fall over. It was like someone was stabbing my back with a hot dagger...

Eugeo quickly noticed, that something was wrong and hastily came closer. "What is it?" he asked, obvious worry in his voice. "Kirito, what's wrong?"

I managed only a faint whine: "It hurts..."

"Where?"

"My back..."

The next wave of pain would have probably brought me to mu knees, if Eugeo hadn't held me up. I felt his cool hand press against my forehead, then someone, probably Asuna, freed me from my haversack and lifted my shirt. "I don't see anything here..." I heard her panicked voice. "What is happening to him?"

I barely heard their next words. It felt like the pain was repressing everything else around me... They helped me to enter one of the rooms and lay down on the bed. I felt Eugeo take one of my hands in his own. "It's alright..." he soothed gently. "It will be fine, don't worry..."

"How, according to you, can this be translated into 'It will be fine'?!" it was hard to tell if Asuna was more terrified or irritated.

The pointless bickering was totally misplaced, so I wanted to interrupt it, but didn't manage. I tried to concentrate on evening out my breath, because short, sharp inhales that the pain was forcing me to take only made it worse. It came and faded with each of my heartbeats. I didn't even want to know what that was, I just wanted it to end as quickly as possible...

And when the final strike of blinding heat made a desperate scream escape my lips, I just heard Asuna mutter something in what might have been the language of druids...

And everything turned black in an instant.

* * *

„ _You bleed just to know you're alive..."_


	13. The shape of your Wish

It was so warm... and I felt like every ounce of strength has left my body. Nevertheless I managed to open my eyes after a few moments. There were forest-green bedsheets in front of me... underneath, and around me... I was lying on my left side in a bed, soft and pleasant. I don't think even the beds in the royal castle felt this comfortable...

I noticed a hand lying on the pillow near my face. Then my eyes focused further and I saw a nightstand, a familiar crystal shining on it beautifully, reflecting narrow sun rays... but the rays had to be coming from somewhere... I shifted my head slightly. Oh yeah... there was a window, almost completely covered by heavy, dark-emerald curtains...

I then realized, that the hand was mine. I moved it a little and frowned. The action of flexing my fingers felt weird... and at the same time something shifted slightly behind me, bringing back an echo of pain along my spine...

I propped myself on one hand and tried to sit up. Wincing, I carefully tried to turn around, because the quilt slid downwards in a different way, that I would have expected...

And then an uncontrolled, terrified scream escaped my lips, when something big and black jumped out on me from behind.

"Kirito!" I suddenly heard Asuna's voice along with the sound of a door opening. I turned reflexively and unintentionally hit something, but the feeling of it and the slight pain came from a place, where I've never before felt anything...

Suddenly a cold hand grabbed exactly that grazed spot and I heard another scream: "Kirito!"

I froze instantly. Maybe it was the fact, that I've never before heard Eugeo screaming, that worked like a spell at that very moment. I wasn't sure. I felt him hold tightly... not to my wrist, but... I turned my head hesitantly.

And stopped breathing for a moment. There was a strong, black arch of a wing, jutting out from behind my own back. It didn't feel real... I tried to pull it towards me a bit. It jerked a little, but Eugeo held tight and I stopped, scared, that I might unintentionally hurt him. But that made it terrifyingly clear, that the wing indeed belonged to my own body...

This just couldn't be happening for real.

"Asuna?" I suddenly heard a familiar voice. It took me a moment to remember, that it belonged to Kaan, Eugeo's generous acquaintance, who was now standing at Asuna's side, supporting her courteously and watching her with deep concern. "Are you alright?"

"Yes..." she glanced at her hand, that she was rubbing her head with a second before, as if checking for blood. Luckily, she didn't find any and looked at me reproachingly. "You don't hold back even on a woman, do you!" she then sighed and asked more gently: "Are you alright?"

"I... well... I think so..."

Eugeo slowly loosened his grip and traced the edge of the wing carefully. A shiver ran down my spine. "You feel that, right?" he asked, his voice soothing.

It was hard to believe that I did. I just nodded faintly. In response, Eugeo pulled slightly at the edge and I lost my balance, propping myself with my hands on the satin bedsheets. "Don't worry, try to relax it," Eugeo's voice was totally casual, as if nothing was really happening. I took a few deep breaths and slowly allowed the tension between by shoulder blades to fade, and the muscles of the wing followed. It was ridiculous. The expanse of dark, thin skin reached well beyond the big canopy bed.

The slight push of Eugeo's hand brought me back to the moment. With a bit of his guidance I managed to retract the wing and fold it behind my back. I then shifted a bit on the bed and repeated the whole process with the left wing. It wasn't very hard to get used to it, it kind of resembled moving a hand. I just didn't know if that swift progress should please or terrify me.

Eugeo then proceeded to explain how various parts worked, confirming my comparison to a palm. There even was a little claw at the top of each wing, to which he referred as "thumbs"... it was so preposterous it wasn't even funny...

Asuna, who watched us silently in fascination, suddenly asked: "How do you know so much about it all, Eugeo?"

He stopped his fingers right above the curve of the leading edge. "Well... I've been reading a lot..."

Asuna came closer, took another look at my wings, top to bottom, then turned to Eugeo, staring closely into his eyes. I wasn't sure, but it seemed like he was almost blushing. "I knew it," she finally said, her eyes squinting with a suspicious smile.

"Sorry?" Eugeo raised his eyebrows slightly.

"You already have wings!" she declared cheerfully. "Admit it, you do have them."

Eugeo just blinked a few times, but finally a sheepish smile appeared on his features. "How did you know?"

"You can't learn this amount of detail by just reading. Except reading Dracascarion of course, but, with all due respect, I don't suspect you of knowing the language of dragons that well. Besides, when you started answering, you had a similar look on your face to the one Kirito had, when I asked him if he knew what happened to the bird I captured on the second morning..."

"Come on, I just thought it was too cruel to make dinner out of something that small..." I tried to protest.

"And I told you I was just going to use it to send a message to Arakiel. Honestly, just because we live in the wild doesn't mean we eat everything that crosses our path..."

I just averted my gaze, having run out of arguments. But then I remembered something. "Wait, Eugeo, was that the reason why you..."

"Yes," he smiled apologetically. "That was the reason I arrived at your village a bit late and was so exhausted. I have to admit I didn't expect that to happen... I'm sorry, that I didn't tell you the truth. All this time I was wondering though..." Eugeo carefully took my sirath from the nightstand, "why didn't you press the matter further? You must have known..."

I didn't answer, when I took the crystal from his hand, not looking him in the eyes. But I felt clearly, that he would like to talk about it. I sighed quietly. I didn't... Deciding to change the subject, I asked: "You said that I will be able to make them disappear. How can I do that?"

"You just need to concentrate and think about it intensively enough."

I repositioned myself on the bed to sit more comfortably and closed my eyes. For a while I repeated my wish in my mind, even imagined myself without the wings, normally, like always... I shot a death glare to my right after repeating it for the thirtieth time. The wing was still there. "I can't..." I whined.

"You're tired," Eugeo tried to calm me down. "Besides, you just woke up, you must still be quite dizzy. It's been two days after all... get some rest, I'm sure you will be able to do it later."

I raised my eyebrows. "Two days...?" I whispered. I wasn't aware that I was neutralized for so long...

"Yeah, I think that's what you call being dead to the world..." Asuna tried to joke. "That reminds me, you must be terribly hungry, let me fetch something for you." And before I could answer she gave me a sweet smile and disappeared through the door. Kaan silently followed her.

I sighed.

"Does anything still hurt?"

I have no idea why Eugeo's voice made me jump. When there was just him nearby, it always felt like there was noone around. It seemed like his presence was melting with the surrounding silence, he always had this quiet and sad air around him, that made me feel very calm, a little depressed... and secretly happy inside. I hoped that if he voluntarily stayed by my side, that meant he was searching for some consolation after all. Even if he was doing it subconsciously.

"No, I'm fine... just a little stiff," I answered finally and shifted on the bed again.

Before I could stand up though, Eugeo soundlessly came closer and extended his hand, as if offering help. I gave him a questioning look. "It's not easy, believe me," he said, seeming a bit amused. "Your balance will be totally off now, you need to be careful."

I accepted it and slowly stood up. At first he only held my hand, not applying any pressure in any direction, wanting me to feel everything on my own, being there just in case. And everything seemed perfectly fine until I straightened up all the way to stand in front of him. It was then that the room suddenly swayed and I felt myself falling backwards, but at the exact same moment, or maybe even a split second before it, Eugeo's hand tightened around mine and firmly held me in place. I squeezed my eyes shut in terror and held my breath for a moment.

"It's alright," Eugeo soothed. "It's good though, that you instinctively knew what to do."

I looked at him again, confused. "I didn't do anything."

"You just flapped your wings."

"... I did?" I was completely unaware of that fact.

"Yes, but please try to watch it next time. Arranging an interior like this surely wasn't easy."

I smiled bitterly, and he started to lead me across the room. To my relief, getting a hang of it didn't take very long. Eugeo had to dodge the reflexive flicks of my wings less and less, until I managed to get from one end of the room to the other without his help.

Soon after that achievement Asuna returned with a whole selection of dishes, which she and Eugeo had to help me with. The cook in this mansion was overeager, but knew his art. The food tasted delicious, was not too heavy and I quickly felt my strength returning to me thanks to it.

When we were done, I made another attempt at hiding my wings - a completely futile one. While Asuna tried to convince me not to worry about it that much, Eugeo noticed, that the sun outside was already setting. They both retreated from my room, allowing me to rest some more. Despite being up for such a short time, I felt incredibly tired again. I laid down, burying myself in the luxurious softness and fell asleep almost instantaneously.

* * *

„ _This Story is somewhere high in the Sky…_

_It can be read like notes of a melody..._

_You just need to raise your head."_


	14. What your Heart wishes to hide...

The next day I woke up pretty late, but feeling much better. I sat up, rubbing my eyes and after a moment of gathering my thoughts spotted a little table in the corner of the room. A wooden basin stood prepared on top, a big flagon with clear water right next to it. I got up, sleepily walked over and carefully washed my face and hands.

As I was drying myself with a little towel, which I also found on the table, my eyes accidentally fell on a tall mirror, that stood crosswise from the bed. I almost jumped. I completely forgot about the wings... I hesitantly walked up to it and took a closer look.

They were a quite unpleasant contrast to my scrawny, pale silhouette. My breathing caused them to rise and fall almost imperceptibly. They were horrible... like some ominous shadow, their inner surface not really being black, but faded, intersected by darker lines of supporting edges and delicate veins. I looked like a bat somebody has stepped on.

I gently put the palm of my hand on the smooth, merciless surface of the mirror and closed my eyes for a moment. _Maybe... maybe I'm just dreaming?_ I took a few deep breaths. _Alright, I know I'm not dreaming..._ I opened my eyes again and turned away from my reflection with disgust.

I needed some fresh air... Hesitantly, I peeked outside through a slit in the door. I saw two cozy-looking armchairs in the small anteroom, but they were both empty. I listened for a second and, deeming it safe, ventured outside. I wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone right now, I just wanted to get to know our new "home" a little better and take a closer look at the things I wasn't able to admire enough thanks to the courtesy of my wings.

The room upstairs was arranged into a sort of small library with a big, solid table on the left, the floor made of polished, dark wooden planks. It was well lit thanks to the balcony, that spread across almost the whole length of the wall that looked out to the lake. The table that stood to my left was made of heavy-looking oak, the surface of which was carved into a map of south-western Earlindon, meticulous and detailed, but delicate enough to not jeopardize the dishes meant to stand on it. On the right side the southern and eastern walls were completely covered by huge bookshelves, carrying countless books with leather bindings. In a small niche in the corner I noticed a waist-high pedestal, and on it the Dracascarion - the book of knowledge for the Disciples.

I've seen it for the first time when we were leaving Silivren Forest and Asuna took it from the archdruid. I looked through it a few times during our journey, but most of it was written in the language of dragons and with the draconic runes, their black ink shifting to a dark cherry-red in some places, probably the effect of being decades old. In places, where the words changed to the language of druids, the familiar symbols of my language formed sounds of completely unfamiliar ring. Asuna gladly explained many things, that I was curious about, but never actually revealed any secrets regarding the language of her people.

I returned to the level of our bedrooms and went further down. I found what I assumed to be a bathroom... I really wasn't sure. The majority of it was occupied by a sort of big reservoir, carved out in the solid, polished sandstone of the floor and filled with water. The ceiling was looming high above the arch of my wings. A thought crossed my mind, that it will probably be hard to find a small room in this mansion...

Shortly after I crossed the bridge connecting the two parts of the residence and went down the decorated corridor. I met only one person on my way, an old maid carrying fresh tablecloths, and instinctively wanted to back away or hide somewhere. But she just smiled at me, as if there was nothing out of the ordinary and went from one room to another. I sighed and went down the stairs in the entrance hall.

Once outside, I turned around and examined the fronton of the mansion for a moment. Here as well, like in many other places, I noticed strange symbols engraved in the doorframe. They were scattered across the whole manor, on the edges of marble slabs covering the floors, by the window frames, on the pillars in the entrance hall... I tried to make sense of these subtle shapes. Some were long lines like verses of a longer text, some were solitary decorations on some architectural elements. In the end I decided, that if they make no sense, then they have to be art. Art that I didn't understand.

Even so, I was not able to shake off the feeling, that this mansion had something magical to it. Everything seemed too beautiful, too harmonious, to the point where it was hard to believe it has been created by human hands. Even the aura of this place seemed unusual, like one could sense real magic in it every now and then...

I hesitated for a moment, not sure in which direction to explore next. The gardens on the west side looked really tempting, but I thought I heard Asuna's beautiful laugh coming from the stables by the border of the forest, so I decided to take a look at them later. I circled the mansion from the east side and headed towards the lake. It was breathtaking. The warm sun rays were bathing the slowly greening forest and blue water in gold. The lake's surface mirrored the little clouds above, that looked like sheep gathering by a watering place. On the far north end of it that mirror was starting to stir from a small, sparkling rain that came from the only cloud, that was gray.

I was looking at it, but it was as if I wasn't seeing it at all...

I don't know how much time has passed until I heard soft footsteps on the grass behind my back. I didn't turn around though, didn't tell the intruder to go away, nor did I walk away along the shore. I knew who it was. It was obvious, because it felt like nobody was there at all.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Eugeo's voice mingled perfectly with the serenity of the surroundings. I didn't answer. "Is something wrong?"

A silent sigh escaped my lips. "Yes, but... I'm not even sure what..."

Eugeo seemed to think for a moment, then came a few steps closer. "Is it the wings? Are they still not disappearing?"

I shook my head slightly, starting to feel like his words were slowly crystalizing the doubts in my heart, giving them shape. "They're... so horrible..."

I suddenly felt Eugeo's hand on my shoulder and looked at him miserably, even though I didn't want to. "Can we sit down for a moment?" he asked.

I nodded and we settled down onto the soft grass, at the point where it started thinning out, giving way to the delicate sand. Eugeo looked into the sky, as if searching for the right words among the clouds. "Is it their looks that scare you? Or... is it their meaning?"

"Meaning?"

I looked him in the eyes. There was something in them that told me he was already sorry for what he was going to say next. "Do they seem horrible to you because they make you different?" he finally asked.

I averted my gaze. How could I get mad... he was just right... but something inside me still told me that wasn't the entire truth.

"Kirito... we all are different. I understand the feeling of fear, that someone might say you're weird. I think most people go through a time in their lives where they think, that they want to be special in some way... and then there are people who really are special, are different, but on the inside they wish nothing more than to just be normal, like everyone else... But both these types have something in common. Everyone has something deep inside of them, that they're afraid of, ashamed of, and spend their lifetimes trying to hide it from the rest of the world. The problem here is... you aren't able to do that anymore..."

I smiled bitterly, desperately trying to fight tears as I looked ahead at the tiny waves that caressed the shore. "You're just mean, you know that...?" I tried to joke in a pained whisper.

I suddenly felt his cool hand on mine and turned my head to look at him. There was a smile on his face, telling me that here is where he wanted to get to the point. "But it's at this moment, that you have to ask yourself Kirito... what is more important to you: being 'normal' or being happy?" My hand stirred involuntarily under his fingers. "Happiness isn't defined by what most people think. It's you, who has to decide what feels right to you and what course of action doesn't cause you to have any regrets in life..."

I just stared for a long moment, as if mesmerized, then turned my gaze away to look at the sand again. I felt something in his words starting to sink into me and settling somewhere deep in my heart. And as if wanting to make sure it stays there for good, he continued: "Besides, I don't think they look that bad. I suppose you didn't see their outer surface yet?"

I raised my eyebrows. "Is it different?"

"It's very different," he took a firmer hold of my hand and stood up, pulling me to my feet with him. "Try dipping one of them forward and spreading it, just be a bit careful. I assume they are not very flexible yet."

He took a step back and I followed his advice. What I saw stunned me.

The outer surface, invisible to me when I held the wings straight, had the deepest, magnificent shade of pure black. It was entirely different from what I saw in the mirror. It was beautiful... I reached out hesitantly and touched the wing for the first time since they appeared. It was soft and warm, far more pleasant than the best quality velour at the royal castle...

Eugeo smiled upon seeing my bewildered stare. "They are a bit different from mine, but I still like them very much."

"How do yours look like by the way?" I lifted the wing to its normal position again. "Can I see them?"

"Yes, but maybe a bit later. Try to get used to your own first, alright?" I couldn't help but smile. He always cared so much about other people's feelings... even if he tried to deny it, he seemed to long for the warmth of some relationship. Maybe he subconsciously did allow himself some thoughts about friendship after all...

Two terns passed us, diving from above and settled down by the shore a few meters away. "Oh, and about being different from a bird's wings..." Eugeo continued, following them with his eyes. "I think ours are far more efficient. Have you ever seen how much time birds spend with keeping their feathers clean and arranged? We don't need to worry about that at all. They also won't soak up water, and they are much more flexible than bird wings. Which makes it easier to adapt to various conditions in the air and gives us an extreme advantage in flight."

I blinked, looking into his emerald eyes. "In... _flight_?"

* * *

„ _Maybe there's something more..._

_Life's worth living for..."_


	15. If your Heart keeps the Faith...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Try reading this chapter while listening to Jack Dylan Martin's "Awake", Jack Dylan Martin's "Soaring" and Audiomachine "Take Flight"...

I squinted, looking up into the bright sky. I had to hold my wings tight to my body, so the fickle wind, coming from the direction of the lake, wouldn't lift me up from the mansion's roof. I wasn't sure if I was more terrified or more excited. But it was a bit too late to declare any doubts now.

The day was sunny, the lake reflected the green of the surrounding forest, and where the color changed over to turquoise, spots of golden shoals could be seen. The fresh smell of young littoral greenery reached even up here, the terns were flying almost close enough to touch, the clouds seemed closer than usual...

I glanced down. Three figures stood by the shore. The chestnut hair of one of them waved beautifully on the fresh breeze, the other's eyes, this emerald green so vivid, that I could almost see it from up here, watched us with concern, and the third sat calmly a little behind, lazily swiping the grass with the lush, silvery-black tail. All of them, including the dog, must be thinking: "Whose idea was it, to let two young boys jump from the roof of a building? A fairly tall building at that..." I wasn't sure if it was a good idea either. For sure, it wasn't the safest.

I felt like I didn't want them to watch. I wasn't very afraid of the potential catastrophe, that could occur in a few minutes. From this altitude I could use my wings to land in the water relatively safely even if not everything would go as we predicted. I was more afraid of the meaning of this action. It was a step, after which there would be no turning back. If I somehow made it... that would mean accepting these wings and what they meant. Accepting what made me different...

I lifted my gaze again to look into the azure sky. Images of the last three days we spent together came back to me with the warm sun rays.

The lake had countless tiny coves and coastal glades guarded by scrubs and reeds, as if created exlusively to conceal some mysteries. It also had one small island, where the littoral turquoise of the enchanting lake bed shifted into crystalline sapphire further into the depths. The shores were mostly sandy, but here and there you could find some gravel as well. Only the northern end of the lake, where a little river flowed into it, had a marshy bed, rugged like a bird's feathers. The vicinity was tranquil, it seemed to me sometimes, that the world weighted less in this place...

It was at one of these secluded spots, far away from the gazes of unnecessary onlookers, where Eugeo shared his knowledge of flying with us. Asuna complemented the theory with information from Dracascarion, while sitting on a log and redoing my shirts. She knew what she was doing. The slits on the back were not only comfortable, now that I couldn't get rid of the new addition to my body, but also looked quite elegant with the delicate leather bands tied fancifully underneath my wings.

When we proceeded to practicing wing movement on the ground, Eugeo admitted, that despite all his book knowledge he didn't try actual flight yet. He also showed us his own wings for the first time. They were indeed quite different from mine. Their color changed gradually from top to bottom, from the deepest sapphire all the way down to the most pale and delicate sky-blue. They weren't smooth like mine either, but covered with tiny scales, shining like the jewels of the Blue Rose Sword in the sun. I had to admit, I was a little jealous... both of their appearance and the fact, that he could make them disappear at will. But at the same time I thought, that they wouldn't suit anyone else better than him, and I still had his encouraging words from a few days ago warming my heart.

I've come to like this place and the people living in it, including Kaan and his four-legged friend. I always felt most comfortable around Asuna though. She could somehow make anyone smile regardless of all circumstances, and while I might still have been quite enchanted by her beauty and nature, it felt more like she was an older sister to me and Eugeo. And he somehow seemed to become more and more lively every day too, even though the progress was so slow, it would probably be completely unnoticeable for an outsider.

Eugeo's voice suddenly brought me back into the moment. "Are you ready, Kirito?"

I blinked a few times, as if just now noticing, that he was standing just a few steps away. "Yeah... I think so."

"Do you want to try first, or should I do it?"

"What difference does it make?" I tried to cover my nervousness with jokes. "I will either fly or fall, the jumping order won't change anything..."

"Do you remember everything I told you?" he asked one last time when I carefully approached the roof's edge.

"I hope so..." I watched the bright surface of the lake for a moment. It looked like half of the heavens toppled over to the ground. "But what if it doesn't work...?" I added quietly.

"It has to work. You just need to keep something in mind, and everything will be fine."

I glanced at him, curious. "What?"

Eugeo looked me in the eyes. "The greatest obstacle in life and in the air are doubts. So if your heart keeps the faith... the wind will always be your ally..."

His words mesmerized me for a moment. I didn't even bother to push away my bangs, that danced in the wind in front of my eyes... an then an involuntary, but genuine smile found its way to my lips. I nodded, feeling the unpleasant cold in my chest starting to melt at last, and turned back to the lake.

I instantly cleared my mind of everything I deemed unnecessary. I wanted to do this so quickly, that I wouldn't be even able to think much. I bent my knees a little, feeling a strange but pleasant chill running down my spine, took one last breath and leaped forward, trying to put as much effort as I could into my legs before the wings took over... I spread them...

... and suddenly the wind caught me mid-jump, took it with me as if it was waiting for this moment for centuries, smooth and easily like a water current takes a sailboat. I felt every touch, the wings suddenly seeming more sensible than my fingertips have ever been... the shiver that originated from just below my shoulderblades now spread from my back to the entire body. I tried changing the angle a little and the air swirled around, slowing me down willingly in response to the different shape of my wings. I felt everything. Each shift, every variation, every change of direction and suddenly everything started to make sense...

Seeing the other end of the lake approaching I lifted the outer edges, spreading them almost all the way out and struck my wings in a not too sharp downward angle. They caught the air just like Eugeo told me and I sensed myself being lifted even higher. The lake slowly became smaller and I felt a sudden urge to rise my gaze to what the water reflected. There was a vast azure high above, an endless, open expansion of clear air and... freedom...

I was afraid of it before... now I wanted to continue forever.

A bright, enthusiastic cheer reached my ears despite the loud singing of wind in my ears. I carefully plunged my right wing into the warm current of air and the shifting angle shifted my direction as well. I didn't even need to think much. It was as if a new instinct was born the moment I leaped from the mansion's roof, and was already fully developed when I reached the opposite side of the lake. It felt so right as if I was doing it my whole life...

After coming out of my turn I spread both wings almost to their maximum and let myself be carried back towards the residence. I saw Asuna hopping with joy near the shore, her hair flickering like pale flames in the warm sun. Her last hop was directed towards Kaan, and she swung her arms around his neck, as if wanting the excess enthusiasm to pass over to our confused host. Only Sivath seemed perfectly calm, clearly not understanding the need for this whole commotion and just moved his tail left and right as if wanting to make up for the unawareness with a good image.

I abruptly rose my wings against the air current and came to a stop in midair not far away from the smaller part of the mansion. I started to beat them again to stay in place. Eugeo was already standing at the edge of the roof, watching me attentively. I waved to encourage him.

The little group below froze for a moment, when Eugeo's wings glimmered in the sun. The next second he soared right above my head and my delighted cheer joined Asuna's.

When Eugeo turned and came back the same way I did earlier, I noticed something in his face, that I've never seen before. There was a delicate ripple in his green eyes, a change almost unnoticeable, but impossible to confuse with anything else.

A tiny flash miraculously close to being a true, lively smile.

I suddenly felt my soul and heart ready to fly as well and when Eugeo playfully dived below me and in the direction of Asuna and Kaan, as if urging me to give chase, I followed without a second thought.

* * *

„ _Follow your Dreams never let them die..._

_It's your Destiny, spread your Wings and fly..._

_You've got the power, just open your eyes..._

_Reach for the Sun and touch the Sky..."_


	16. Let there be a Light in the hand you reach out

The carmine sun was already setting. I sat on the mansion's roof, one knee drawn to my chest and observed its reflexes that slowly disappeared from the lake's surface and the birds bustling about among the branches, preparing to rest. Every now and then one of them would still give a silvery chirp, as if sending a thanks for a beautiful day to the darkening sky. My heart felt so light... One of the reasons was the successful first attempt at flying - the most thrilling activity I could imagine, but there was also Eugeo...

Right after the first flight he declared, that he felt pretty worn out and retreated to his room. I couldn't blame him, the whole tension and the relief afterwards combined with all the excitement were starting to get to me as well. But regardless of all the tiredness I couldn't forget this smile... it hid again shortly after our first flight, like a bird that settles into the grass and folds its wings, when the danger has passed, but my soul was still soaring thanks to it, even now.

I felt like it was very close now. The moment where Eugeo would shake himself free after that tragedy. I finally felt certain about helping him to destroy the pain. I smiled involuntarily.

But among all that happiness I felt a tiny stirring inside my chest. And I couldn't even specify what this weird feeling was. I sighed silently and glanced over my shoulder, to the east, where the sky was already taking on a deep shade of navy-blue. A blurry thought of Alice crossed my mind. I wondered how she was doing after these few days of my absence... were my parents worrying much? And Lisbeth, was she...

My wings twitched suddenly, brushed by the shy feeling in my heart, that suddenly became clearer. I could find all that out easily now. I could fly there, visit my village, and it would take merely a third of the time of a normal journey, if not less...

I got up and stared at the lush expanse of forest, stretching all the way up to the dark horizon. I was ready to do it right this moment and if someone tried to stop me, I probably would have thrown him right into the lake. I crossed the roof's surface to reach its opposite edge, spread my wings...

... and then, as if to spite me, I heard someone's voice. Someone's... singing?

I stopped and blinked a few times. The voice was familiar, the silent melody carried on the delicate, evening breeze... I turned back, carefully crouched down at the edge of the roof I was previously sitting on and looked down.

On the little balcony of her room, leaned against the balustrade, stood Asuna, her eyes closed, her beautiful face turned to the remnants of the sun in the west. She was singing softly, the unintelligible words composed some mysterious and tranquil melody. Outwardly, it was not much different from any other song, but the graceful sounds were delicate and warm like the touch of a whisper...

I was ready to back away, not wanting to disturb whatever she was doing, when suddenly, among the strange, unfamiliar words I heard my own name... I looked down again, confused. And she just continued, as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

Suddenly though, the song broke, abruptly bringing me back to reality. "Eavesdropping is not very healthy, you know that?" Asuna craned her slender neck.

I felt my cheeks heating up. "I... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you..."

"It's alright. Could you maybe lower yourself down to my level? My nape is starting to hurt."

I hesitated shortly, but leaped from the roof at last and with a few careful beats of wings settled down onto the balcony. "I'm really sorry..." I mumbled again, hopping down from the balustrade.

"I told you, it's alright," she smiled gently.

"But... what was that anyway?"

"If you mean the singing, that was a prayer."

I blinked. "What do I have to do with your prayers?" I didn't manage to stop these words from slipping past my lips.

There was a hint of amusement in her eyes, as she looked into mine interrogatively. "You must have practiced this eavesdropping thing quite a lot." When a sheepish smile found its way to my face, she continued: "Well, since you kind of have the right to know, I'll tell you. I was praying for you both."

"Us _both_?"

"You and Eugeo."

"Why?"

"Because it would be wonderful if you managed to solve this problem." She glanced at my surprised expression and smiled apologetically. "I know, none of you really told me... but sometimes noone is able to hide any secrets in the Silivren Forest. What the trees, wind or birds hear, will eventually reach the ears of druids..."

"Oh, I see... no, actually I don't get it at all, but that doesn't matter. But since you know anyway, maybe you have some idea that could help in the matter?"

"You've been doing quite fine until now."

"Maybe, but what if that's not enough?" I suddenly felt my stifled doubts surface again. "What if it's all in vain, what if it's impossible to help him by now...?"

This time she gave me a look that was far too serious for such a beautiful face. "Kirito, if but one person is still fighting for something, then it's never a lost cause. I know that it sometimes looks like Eugeo wants to hold on to his isolation like a drunk to a fence, but someone has to make him realize, that he's just harming himself. I understand how he feels, because friendship is a seed, that sprouts rarely, but if it does, you can rip it out only with the heart together... it's a miracle that he can still go on after that... but he also has to understand, that friendship is exactly what he needs to heal these wounds. And he needs to understand, that the fear sparked by your resemblance to Sitriel is completely baseless. There is a fundamental difference between you two."

I gave her a confused look. "What difference? And how in the world can you know that?"

"Tell me, would you be able to die for Eugeo, like Sitriel did?"

For a moment I got lost in thought and in those piercing eyes. And the answer that I found after a long reflection surprised even me. "No... I would do everything in my power to not let that happen, because then he would suffer even more..."

A warm glimmer surfaced from those hazel depths. "See?"

I smiled and turned my gaze towards the lake. "I want him to laugh and live freely like you or me..." I admitted quietly. "I want to lead him out of this darkness that he created around himself, and got lost in it like an idiot..."

She giggled silently. "If that's so, then you just need to keep one thing in mind."

"What is that?"

"It's true, that our journey through this world cannot always be beautiful. Without the little 'hiccups' in life we wouldn't be able to appreciate all the good that befalls us. It's the same with light. If it's alone, it makes no sense. It has to coexist with darkness, otherwise noone would be able to tell, that it's there, right? But whatever way you look at it, the darkness is never able to conquer light," she lifted her palm and opened it slightly. And again, there was this little, bright flame, that started to dance along her fingers. "Darkness is just the absence of light. A place where no flame is burning. And as long as the flame stays strong, the darkness stands no chance. The only way darkness can win, is when the light loses hope," she looked me in the eyes. "In this case... you are the light Kirito. And if you really wish to help him, you cannot lose that hope. You have to be sure that you desire it more than you're afraid of it."

I closed my eyes with a smile, allowing the gift of those words to sink in. "Thank you..."

A comfortable silence fell over us for a few minutes, while we admired the last crimson glow of the sky. I interrupted this pleasant moment rather reluctantly. "May I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"How do you do it? I mean the fire."

"You can do it too."

"I know I should be able to, but I still don't know how..."

"Well, let me tell you something first then. The fire of the Disciples can only burn, if it has a reason to. If the one using it knows, that there is someone who it can burn for. That's why we received this magic in the first place - to protect. And that is why I think, that you of all people shouldn't have a problem with summoning it. You just need to find a source for it inside of you, along with this sprinkle of magic, that is hidden somewhere inside your being. And the best place to search is here," she reached out and placed her delicate hand on my chest, near the heart. "Try it, it's really not that complicated."

I looked at her slender fingers for a moment, thinking it over, then nodded slightly and closed my eyes. When she retreated her hand, I opened one of mine before me, just like she did earlier, and started searching for this "source". I didn't need to look far. As soon as the image of Alice, my parents and my little sister appeared in my mind, I immediately felt the familiar warmth inside my chest, but somehow clearer and more intense than usually. Without much thinking I did the only thing I found logical at this point. I embraced it with my thoughts and tried to materialize it somehow... make it real...

And suddenly I heard Asuna's silent voice... I wasn't sure, but it sounded like it had a hint of bewilderment to it: "Now don't stop thinking about it and open your eyes."

I obeyed. I slowly rose my eyelids and my gaze fell upon my open palm. There was a bright flame dancing between my fingers, a bit larger than Asuna's even. I gaped a little. I almost didn't feel the heat at all, just a tiny, pleasant warmth.

"You're unbelievable Kirito..." she didn't even try to hide her amazement. "You've succeeded immediately at the first try, not to mention how strong it already is..."

"Well, there's a reason for that..." I could barely control the excited trembling of my voice. "Thank you."

"For what? You did it on your own."

"But without you I wouldn't have known how to... and how do I put it out now?"

"Similarly, just the other way around."

"Oh, you're so funny..." Even so, after a few moments I instinctively grasped the mechanism of it and made the flame disappear.

Asuna smiled. "It might get even stronger soon, if you manage to put Eugeo in order."

I nodded. "Maybe we'll be able to together. I mean... even if he doesn't want to allow that thought to himself... we all already are friends."

"If that's what you really feel... can I ask a little favor of you?"

"Of course."

"Don't force yourself into clearing everything up on your own in the future... If you have some problem or are struggling with something, just share it with me. I will carry what's too much for you, alright?" she gave me a heartwarming wink.

"You're the best."

"And now go, before they call it a day."

I blinked. "Sorry?"

"Didn't you just want to go somewhere?"

"How..."

She just laughed heartily. "Maybe I'll tell you one day. Go, but be careful. And don't forget to return to us."

I just shook my head smiling in bewilderment. I figured I should be grateful, that there was no need to throw her into the lake. "I will come back as soon as they let me," I joked, climbing atop the balustrade again.

"Have a nice flight. And a safe one."

I leaped from the balcony energetically. I got a sensation at the tip of my wing that told me, that I miraculously missed Asuna's head by a thread with it. I spun around in midair. "I'm sorry!" I yelled, panicked.

"I'm fine, don't worry!" she waved, clearly amused, and urged me to finally leave with another hand gesture.

With a few beats of my wings I gained some height and circled the mansion's premise once before turning east. It was a wonderful evening for flying. The air was a bit sultry, but the breeze moving around my wings made the feel of it more comfortable and tempted me to do some research with directions and heights. I soared above the dark thicket, delighting in the feeling of freedom the caressing touch on my skin elicited.

I went a bit higher and looked around. To my right I could see the valley, that we crossed to get to Silivren Forest. So I assumed my home should be somewhere straight to the east, maybe a bit north-east. I folded my wings and went into a dive, then snapped them open just above the tree tops and started ascending again. It was hard to imagine a more fun activity than this aside from swordplay.

After what felt like an hour of aerial experimentation, when the moon rose lazily over the horizon where I came from, I saw a faint glow between the trees in front of me and slowed down. I let myself fall a bit and soon saw the roofs of familiar cottages, the bonfire burning between them, and the silhouettes of people... The faint columns of smoke from the hearths showed that it was just slightly past the time of the evening meals. They soaked up the moonlight and dispersed higher up like silvery clouds below the starry sky. I almost beamed, looking at it all from above. Flying was so much faster than walking, even faster than horseriding... it felt like I reached my destination in no time. Or was I just having too much fun on the way?

Deeming it not very important right now I fell further carefully, in between the trees, and settled down on one of the not too tall lindens' branches. From there, half-hidden among the young leaves, I started to look out.

I just followed Selka with my eyes all the way to her little home near the center of the village, when I heard a familiar voice nearby:

"I'll get right to it, I'll just bring some water, uncle."

I carefully leaned out a bit and peered downwards. There was Alice... My childhood friend just came out of her house, a little wooden bucket in her hand, and headed towards the brook. In other words, exactly in my direction.

When she passed underneath the branch I was standing on, I spotted an opening between the trees and leaped a bit lower, further towards the stream. I wasn't able to avoid the silent rustling of the leaves though, and the ever perceptive Alice looked up.

She probably wouldn't have noticed me in my dark clothing, if it weren't for the moon. She looked me straight in the eyes, and the bucket in her hand fell to the ground with a soft thud. "Ki... Kirito?" she stammered. And then the shock of me even being here went forgotten. "What are you... how did you get all the way up there?! Are you crazy, you're not a feather-light kid anymore, get down!"

I just grinned. "Well, if you insist..." and I jumped down.

Alice shrieked, covering her face with her hands in terror, to avoid seeing the macabre sight that she was sure would follow. When she didn't hear any screams or cracking of bones though, she hesitantly opened her eyes again.

And suddenly there was shock evident on her features again, but of a different kind this time. It wasn't what I expected. For some reason my heart suddenly skipped a beat, as if sensing something disastrous closing in. Even the trees rustled miserably in the sudden gust of night wind.

"I see..." Alice whispered suddenly, the surprise in her azure eyes melting into what seemed to be sadness. I wanted to say something, but she continued before I could even think of a coherent sentence. "It was obvious to me even before all of this started happening... you always were someone special... you stood out from everyone else, always seeing things your own way, treating the world like only you would... like you weren't really part of this normal realm... my realm..." the last words were almost inaudible.

A sudden chill ran through my whole body. "Alice..."

She rose her head again and smiled at me sweetly, brightening the darkness of the evening a little. But I've never seen a more pained smile in my entire life... "It looks like you've found your place in this world. And a lot seems to have changed in these few days... you feel comfortable there, don't you? Otherwise these wings wouldn't have come so quickly... right?"

"That was just..."

"Don't bother yourself with me," she interrupted me again. "You can forget, I don't mind... just... just please, please be happy..."

Alice hung her head again, letting her golden fringe cover her eyes and quickly ran past me, completely forgetting the bucket still lying in the grass. I snapped out of it a second too late and turned around wanting to snatch her wrist, but my fingertips only brushed the material of her sleeve. I wanted to run after her, but something stopped me. What would the other villagers say, if they saw me like that? How would my parents react...?

When I heard the distant slam of a door, my hand fell limply to my side, my caught breath leaving my chest in a feeble exhale that didn't ease the tension even the tiniest bit...

* * *

„ _The sweetest Sadness..._

_Your Smile as you left..."_


	17. The Unheard Cries...

I don't know how much time I've spent up on a tree, far away from the village. I cursed the wings, that hid my tears from the world now more than ever. I thought I heard the rumble of a thunderstorm in the distance a few times, but didn't care. Only when the first droplets whispered on the leaves, I rose my head to look at the sky.

One of them landed on my cheek right next to the tear track and rolled down parallel to it. I quickly wiped them both away and shakily stood up. I glanced to the east briefly, but then turned towards the west, deciding to go back to Kaan's mansion. Where else would I go...? The weather was worsening by the minute, so I ascended above the tree tops and hurried back where I came from.

I tried to stay low and dash above the restlessly swaying trees as fast as I could, but despite all efforts I was drenched to the skin after just half the distance I needed to go. The calm flight here didn't put much strain on me before, but now I felt my strength leaving me at a terrifyingly fast pace. The lightning brightened the darkness every now and then, sharpening shapes and summoning creepy shadows that were not what they looked like. The fact that the thunder made me think of a dragon's roar might have been funny, if it weren't for the seriousness of the situation...

Finally, to my relief, I spotted the outline of the residence in the distance. But it wasn't standing right in front of me, as I was expecting it to. I suddenly found myself on the far north end of the Apries Lake, with the mansion looming far to my left. The wind must have brought me off course quite a bit... I needed to remember that for the next time. If there ever would be one... I went into a curve and dashed just above the water's surface. The darkness seemed to be thickening, the noise of waves and lament of trees around the shores only deepened my anxiety. It was then that I learned, that problems had a strange custom - they seemed to like traveling in packs.

The rain suddenly changed into fine hail, starting to lash my wings and making me painfully aware of how much more sensitive than the rest of my body they were. I didn't quite manage to revive from the shock yet, when another happened. A close lightning strike brightened the area for a second and suddenly I saw something sky-blue flying towards me from above. Unfortunately fear was quicker than reason and my body reacted before my mind managed to tell it, that there was nothing to be afraid of. I performed a swift move that would have been brilliant for someone standing firmly on the ground, but was the stupidest thing possible for someone flying hastily right above the surface of water - I turned towards the "danger".

One of my wings dipped into the surface of the lake, which literally cut my glide short in the split of a second. My terrified scream got drowned out by the thunder and I found myself in the water before I could even start to analyze what was happening.

The remnants of my strength left me, I was enveloped by a deep darkness and my mind refused to obey me any further...

* * *

"Please tell me he will be alright..."

That voice reached me as if through a thick curtain. I felt like I was returning from the depths of a seemingly endless, dark night... I opted to let the sound pass by, not caring much about its meaning. It was easier that way... But the voice was familiar, soothing, and brought the feeling of safety for some reason...

"I think he will be, looks like the encounter with the water was just a little too sudden for his lungs..."

That voice was different, more delicate, and the little nervous but joking tone seemed to ease the tense atmosphere and made the first voice sigh in relief. With that sigh I felt like my head got lifted a little bit and then fell again softly, returning to the calm rhythm of inhale and exhale right next to my right cheek, that I wasn't aware of until just that moment. I also started to feel my own body again as well, and most of it hurt mercilessly. Then the second voice spoke again: "That was a beautiful catch... I have to admit though, I think my heart stopped there for a second..."

"I thought it would be harder too... but he's lighter than he looks."

That last voice finally hooked up to the name "Eugeo" somewhere in my mind. I also finally felt his arm circled around my shoulders and heard the murmur of rain surrounding us. I summoned some of my very slowly returning strength and opened my eyes. I tried to move, but immediately felt a delicate hand press softly against my chest.

"Don't get up, just rest..." I heard Asuna's gentle advice.

I blinked a few times to get rid of the fog before my eyes and I finally saw her. She was kneeling on the muddy ground close to me, watching me with concern in her beautiful features. I also noticed an azure fragment of Eugeo's wing, stretched above all three of us, shielding us from the rain. We were still at the lake's shore...

After a few moments everything that happened started to return to me. Although, when my mind went all the way back to my visit in the village, I just closed my eyes and buried my face into Eugeo's shirt a little. I would have rather remained unconscious...

"We should get inside and lay him down to check for fractures... can you help me?" I felt my arms being circled around two pairs of shoulders, that lifted me carefully from both sides and we headed to the mansion.

When I tried to remember what happened afterwards later, there was hardly anything remaining in my mind...

* * *

The next evening was free from rain, but the sky remained covered by gray clouds. After spending the whole day in bed I managed to go over to the window and observe it for a bit. The unfortunate landing in the lake left most of my body aching, but the careful inspection from Asuna revealed no major injuries. It didn't stop her from calling me around five different kinds of idiot in the process though.

I opened the window to let some fresh air in. The smell made me close my eyes for a moment involuntarily. There weren't many things as relaxing as the scent of moistened, young greenery near to water, even during not so great weather conditions.

I glanced down upon hearing a faint rustle by the shore. I spotted Eugeo, standing on the grassy surface between the east side of the main mansion and the forest. He had his wings out and my eyes tricked me at first, making me think there was something wrong with one of them. It took me a moment to realize, that he was holding the Blue Rose Sword at the exact level, where the color of his wing matched the blade. It was stunning how perfectly suited for this role he seemed to be...

He then lifted the sword to just a little below shoulder level and thrusted forward. He twisted his wrist slightly, rose the blade a tiny bit on a slant and went over to a downward slash from the upper right. I frowned a little. His movements were perfectly balanced and showed years of practice with the sword. But for some reason he was performing them painfully slowly, which seemed totally unnecessary with this level of skill.

It became clear to me what he was doing after another few careful but precise moves. He was testing how much of a hindrance his wings would be in battle. It was logical that he didn't want to cut one of them off during the first training session...

Despite all this calmness in his movement though, I noticed something fierce in his stare, that contradicted it. Something that made those green-bluish eyes freeze to two cold and hard jewels. I knew who he must have been imagining in front of him while he swinged his sword. I started wondering though, if Eugeo was actually capable of doing what he seemed to be training for. And even if his gentle soul was able to carry out such a macabre deed, would it handle the sin and the bitterness afterwards...?

It was then that he stopped for a moment and, as if sensing my stare, looked up to his left. He smiled and lowered his sword. "Are you feeling better?" he asked, raising his voice slightly so it would reach me.

"Yeah, I'll live," I said, propping my elbows on the windowsill. "How long have you been practicing swordplay? I thought I was good after my two years at the castle, but you're at a completely different level."

"Well... I think I was around seven when I started..."

I rose my eyebrows. "Are you from some knight lineage?"

"Not really..." he cast his eyes down, which was enough of a sign for me to stop pressing. Instead I climbed on top of the windowsill. "You shouldn't..." I heard him say right before I jumped. I landed next to him with a few beats of my wings and he sighed quietly, either with relief or exasperation. Or maybe both. "You really should be more careful..."

"I feel fine by now, don't worry," I smiled reassuringly. "Which reminds me... I wouldn't be if it weren't for you. Thank you... you saved my life Eugeo."

"It's not me you should be thanking. It was Asuna who started to worry about you because of the weather, and if she didn't come to tell me, that you flew to your village, I would have been sleeping soundly at the time."

"But..."

"Besides, there is no need to thank for something so obvious. We should take care of each other, if even one of us dies or gets seriously injured, we will stand no chance against Sharish. It was my duty."

I suddenly felt like all the hope, that steadily built up over the past days shattered in the split of a second, like a dropped crystal goblet. "So that's what I am to you..." I whispered with a bitter smile. "Just someone who can be useful in the battle with Sharish... and what else, a tool to use on your way there, so you can find the murderer of Sitriel through Sharish...?"

He looked me in the eyes shortly and sighed. "It's not like that... please understand... I told you, we can't be friends..."

I couldn't hold back my heartache and my rage anymore. "But we already are friends!"

I immediately covered my mouth with a hand upon seeing his expression. Eugeo paled and stared at me in what might have been terror, but he looked more like he had just been slapped in the face. The atmosphere suddenly became as fragile as glass.

"You think so...?" his whisper broke the silence after a few moments. There was something in it that gave me hope again, made me think that I somehow got through to him thanks to the shock. But then it vanished again like smoke of a burning out campfire in the wind. "I don't..."

It was like an icicle stabbed right into my already bleeding heart. A scream would have been better than the calm tone in which he gave me those words. I was afraid to believe it... It was the second time in two days, that someone I considered a friend simply shoved me away... I wasn't sure if I was more furious or more desperate at that moment...

"Right..." I said quietly, hanging my head and trying to keep my voice from breaking. "Sorry to have bothered you then..." I turned away, spread my wings and leaped up again, heading for the window of my room without waiting for an answer.

Once on the windowsill, I squeezed through it hastily, scraping the outer edge of my left wing in the process. I flopped onto the bed and pressed my right cheek to a pillow. It soaked up one of the tears, but the other passed over the base of my nose, leaving a chilly track.

Was there even a reason to still stay here...? The people I was going to fight for in this crazy new realm were turning their backs on me one after the other. At this rate there wouldn't even be a source for the fire within my soul. There was still Asuna... I didn't believe she could distance herself from me as well, but...

Before I could finish these thoughts, I heard a delicate knock on the door. I looked at it and remained silent for a moment. Then I wiped the tears away with my sleeve and spoke a word of admittance.

Eugeo entered the room soundlessly, like he usually did. There was nothing about him, that gave away any annoyance, sadness or any other form of concern. I sat up, trying my best to not give him any accusing looks. I was willing to give him a chance, even though it was hard when these eyes stared at me like surfaces of turquoise water, that reflected everything around it, but remained unmoving itself.

"I'm sorry Kirito..." he finally said. "The last thing I wanted was to get you too involved in my own pain... I'm really not suited to be a friend, you should look for someone else..."

"Look for someone else?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "You think this is like searching for a servant in the slave market? We all are friends here, Asuna, Kaan, me... it's just you who doesn't understand, that we want to help you, that we want you to be a part of it..."

Something was incredibly wrong in all of this. How could he be so kind in one moment and say such cruel words the next? One Eugeo had to be false and I prayed that it was the one who repeatedly made me furious.

But Eugeo seemed to be in a vexatious mood today. "But I can't... the ability to do that was taken away from me together with Sitriel..."

"Well then I guess his murderer already beat you..." I muttered.

"Sorry?"

I've had enough. "What are you even fighting for then?! The most beautiful thing in life was taken away from you, so what are you even still going on for?! Are you trying to save Earlindon so you can suffer even longer?! Wouldn't it be easier to just let Sharish burn it to the ground and bury us underneath the ruins?!"

"Kirito..." he seemed a little shocked by this outburst. But I couldn't stop it anymore.

"So what if Asuna is trying her best, so what if I would gladly give all I have to help you... apparently you don't care at all or we are just failures..."

"Why...?" there was something akin to bitterness in Eugeo's voice. "Why do you care so much about me...?"

"Because it hurts me to see you like this you idiot! You don't deserve to suffer like this, a heart so kind and understanding is like a jewel in this world... it has the power to change people... it... it started to change me... and even now... even when you say things that hurt far worse than my wings did... I still think of you as a friend..."

My voice got caught in my throat and refused to go any further. I pulled one of my knees up to my chest and leaned my forehead against it, hiding my eyes underneath my messy bangs. There was a long silence that spread in the room, and after a few moments I started to think, that Eugeo left again, not wanting to continue this conversation. To my surprise, I suddenly felt the mattress sink a little and the rustle of fabric reached my ears. I opened my eyes, lifting my head slightly.

Eugeo wasn't sitting on the bed like I thought he would be. He sat on the floor next to it, his face buried in the forest-green sheets, his hands clenching the material slightly. A chill ran down my spine. I immediately slid down to the floor as well, sitting beside him. "Eugeo...? Are you alright? What..."

One of his hands squeezed the fabric tighter and I heard something... I instinctively knew what it was, but didn't want to believe at first. But when his shoulders shook a bit, and another stifled, desperate sob broke the silence it almost froze me in place.

What did I just do...? How did I manage to make someone as unshakeable as Eugeo cry like this...? I wanted to say something, help him, but how...?

Eventually, when the intensifying, heartbreaking whimpers caused my own tears to return despite my tries to hold them back, I just placed one hand on his back softly and leaned my forehead against his shoulder. "I'm sorry..." I whispered. "I'm sorry Eugeo... I'm so sorry..."

I just kept repeating those words, praying that I didn't cause some damage that couldn't be repaired anymore.

But at the same time there was another voice whispering a shy prayer from the bottom of my heart: _"Please let this be a sign, that the ice has melted at last..."_

* * *

„ _For one so small_

_You seemed so Strong..._

_But life can surprise you in every little way..._

_And where you don't even imagine you can find Happiness..."_


	18. You became the Light on the Dark side of me...

The sky was a crystalline sapphire, the sun shining through the more and more dense leaves. It wasn't too hot though, as if the heat was being softened by the chill of morning, that still lingered amidst the greenery.

I listened to the sound of bird calls, watching a golden patch of light on the grass right next to my knee. I found a secluded part of the forest behind the mansion's gardens, far enough for the gardener to not care about it anymore. The time of the most exuberant and lovely blooming was approaching. There was one kind of shrubs that outnumbered all others, and I've never seen it anywhere else before. Most of them were quite squat, but there were also some enormous ones, with thick, dark leaves that looked like they stayed on the twigs during winter because of their color being deeper than the fresh, young leaves on the other plants. The most wonderful thing about them were the flowers though, growing in beautiful corymbs. They formed a labyrinth of blood-red, honey, snow-white, purple and pale-blue clusters, that emitted an intoxicating, sweet scent. It all seemed so untouched, as if it was meant for people like me to hide themselves in the tranquility...

I closed my eyes, sighing softly. I still wasn't exactly sure what happened yesterday... I woke up in bed, alone, like on any other normal day. At first I thought I was dreaming all of that, because there wasn't even the slightest remainder of warmth in the bed sheets where Eugeo sat yesterday... But when he didn't appear for breakfast and Asuna, who went to fetch him from his room returned with concern on her face saying, that he wasn't there, it became clear to me that it happened for real. Even so I lied to her, that he said something about an early morning flight the day before, and we ate alone. I was too ashamed to admit, that his disappearance was solely my fault.

I went to look for him alone, but wasn't very successful. During the search I was becoming more and more painfully aware of how much I relied on Eugeo, on his calm, kind presence. Without him I felt like it was so easy to get lost in this world in more than one sense... Still, I wouldn't be surprised, if he never came back...

A small nightingale, sitting on a low-hanging twig nearby fell silent for a moment and tilted its head slightly, as if asking for advice for further melody. I sighed. I needed one myself at the moment... Finally I stood up from the spot where I took a short rest. I decided to take a look around from above, to get a better insight of where I've already been, and where I should search next.

I climbed the nearest oak tree a bit, and when the branches thinned out enough for me to attempt a safe start, I jumped into the sky above. I ascended enough to see the forest, the mansion's premise and the lake clearly and glanced around. I've searched the shore and its coves all the way to the north already. I've searched the gardens, the stables and a fragment of the forest to the east. It was time for the west then... I turned to face it and sighed quietly. It was so vast... and he could even be nowhere nearby by now...

I raised my eyebrows a little. A bit to the south-west I noticed a spot of paler green, big and spread between the other trees like an irregular stain. I beat my wings a few times to take a closer look. It was a willow... an enormous willow, towering over the nearby forest like the mother of all life around her. It seemed as if the fragile twigs were embracing a vast clearing like green, living curtains, but it was hard to tell from above. Curious, I spotted a convenient branch on a hornbeam right next to it and settled down carefully.

I gently pushed the twigs of the willow to the side a bit and peeked underneath it. I saw an enormous space, a clearing situated on a small, gently sloped hill. There was a carpet of soft, emerald moss as far as the eye could see. Its composition was disturbed only by occasional rocks and the roots of the willow, peeking out of the ground here and there. Fascinated, I carefully jumped in and landed on it soundlessly. Other, smaller trees and shrubs were leaning in from outside the willow's curtains, as if peeping into this arbor made of spring leaves. Some of them dropped tiny petals into the clearing, as if wanting them to complete their lives in the serenity underneath the gigantic tree. There was a tiny brook at the opposite end of the clearing that pulled gently on the willows twigs, and some of the roots reaching out to it looked like its tributaries meandering among the moss.

I walked across the clearing silently, delighting in the silence and liberty this place seemed to emit... and then stopped suddenly upon sensing something. Although that wasn't quite the correct word. I felt almost nothing... but there was a familiar feel to the apparent emptiness, a warm flicker of a soul in the air trapped beneath the willow.

I cautiously circled the trunk and after a few steps something golden caught my eye.

I wasn't sure if I was more relieved or more afraid.

There he was, sitting on the moss close to the tree, his eyes fixed absently on the green of the rustling leaves. His soul didn't seem to be entirely present... and I suddenly felt the urge to use that opportunity. It was enough for me, that he was still near, that he was alright, I didn't need to be by his side... in fact... I felt like I didn't have the right to...

I was about to back away, when Eugeo blinked once and raised his eyebrows slightly, as if returning to reality upon sensing my presence. The blood in my veins almost froze solid, when he turned his head to look at me curiously.

Moments passed. It could have even been a few minutes, I had no idea. And then he smiled...

Eugeo smiled.

There was so much pain behind it, that it almost broke my heart, but the smile itself...

... it was real...

I let out a feeble breath, my knees almost giving up on me. When he shifted slightly, making an almost unnoticeable movement with his head, I just stopped thinking. I went over to him and sat down on the green softness, not quite facing him, giving myself space to look away. There was silence again and I almost felt him analyzing my presence, as if he was doing it for the first time in his life.

"I'm sorry..." I whispered finally, not being able to bear staying quiet anymore.

"Don't be," his voice was the same as ever, but different at the same time. And even though I couldn't grasp the meaning of his tone, something in it started to steadily calm me down.

I summoned my courage and looked him in the eyes. It was as if I was seeing them for the first time. There was no more coldness, no more indifference. There was warmth and kindness, like the ice on the surface melted completely, allowing the water of the lake to bloom at last. And, most importantly, I've been allowed to see the person behind them, the person he has been in reality all this time...

"I should be the one apologizing, Kirito," he continued softly. "I've caused you so much grief... and just because I was so stubborn and didn't want to admit, that you were right... Maybe that's not the right way to put it... I was too afraid to admit, that you were right. I didn't allow myself to feel anything that resembled friendship. But, you know, when we soared through the air together a few days ago, some strange feeling overcame me... I saw your beaming face, your sparkling eyes, and suddenly started to wonder... did I really miss so much magic? Did I really drown myself in my own sadness and helpless anger so much, that I missed so many wonders...? Was I really lying to myself so much, that I actually started to believe, that the emptiness Sitriel's death left behind was the only thing left for me in this world?"

I hesitantly reached out and covered one of his hands with my own, trying to tell him, that it wasn't, that he had much, much more... unfortunately the words didn't manage to get through my throat. But he didn't need them to understand.

A tiny smile found its way to his lips, like a faint ray of sunlight breaking through rain clouds. "You know, at first I was a bit angry at you yesterday..." he admitted. When I hung my head, he quickly continued: "No, not like that. I was angry because you forced me to see the truth, that I kept pretending not to see. You were right by saying, that Sitriel's murderer beat me. To be honest, I gave up even before any fight took place. I allowed it to change me, and didn't even resist. I was too weak... and all it took to finally notice the bruises I was giving myself by bonking my head against my own stupidity were your words..." He paused briefly, as if some thought just surfaced in his mind, and he was searching for the right words to express it. "It's curious isn't it... death changed me... and then friendship did the same..."

"But friendship isn't something you can obtain by force..." I finally found my voice. "It has to find a way into your heart..."

"... and you have to accept it, in order for it to affect you," he finished for me. I looked him in the eyes, and for some reason I found a glimmer of amusement in them, as he raised his eyebrows slightly. Before I knew it I was grinning at him, and he did the same. My heart suddenly felt as light as a feather.

"There is one more thing I have to apologize for Kirito..."

"What?"

"For saying, that it was my duty to save you..."

"Ah..."

"Well, it was, in a way, but first and foremost... it was my desire. A wish coming from deep inside my heart, even if I was too dumb to identify it for what it was. I can't imagine a world without your light Kirito..."

I felt the final wave of relief, as those words sparked a memory in my mind. I closed my eyes, fighting tears. _I did it..._ I thought in disbelief. _I did it, Asuna..._ Suddenly there was a warm hand wiping the stinging wetness from my cheek. I looked up to witness another tender smile, gracing the world like the sun, that seems to be shining brighter after the rain has passed, because it has been waiting for so long to reveal itself...

"Please don't... I'm not worth your tears, Kirito..."

"You are, you idiot... you are worth all of them, especially these... when they fall in happiness..."

"I'm happy too... I..." his voice suddenly cracked.

I couldn't help but smile understandingly. It was obvious that after all this time of stifling his emotions, that bit of crying yesterday wasn't nearly enough. I embraced him delicately, allowing him to bury his face in the fabric of my shirt on my shoulder and circled my wings around his back. He deserved this... he deserved all the kindness in this world...

"I want to stay by your side Kirito..." I heard his trembling, muffled voice after a few sobs. "I want to protect you in every single fight that is to come and I want to see its end with you..."

"I will do everything in my power to make sure you will..." I whispered.

I was certain we both would. The fact that I felt like I just found a long lost brother had to have a meaning...

* * *

„ _You changed my Life so patiently_

_And turned it into something good and... real..."_


	19. The Freedom of Happiness

Asuna almost scolded poor Eugeo for not telling her where he was going and for the fact that some of her work with the cook in the kitchen went to waste. But when he apologized, giving her the sweetest smile we've ever seen, she went speechless for a moment. Clearly, she noticed the considerable change in him and temporarily retracted further questions. We offered to help her bring dinner from the main mansion and we ate together this time. During the meal I pretended to be very interested in the animal motifs on the silver cutlery, avoiding her curious glances. I could almost feel her holding back the questions about what had happened between the two of us.

Which was why I felt a bit bad about what we did next instead of enlightening her, but my heart couldn't hold back. Eugeo asked me if I was in the mood for practicing swordplay a little, and there was no way I would refuse. We borrowed a simple sword from our host and went to the clearing between the mansion and the forest at the east side. When Eugeo started to show me little tricks and secrets he knew from his years of experience, it kind of felt like the first time he showed us the Blue Rose Sword, but was fundamentally different. He was far more lively, not holding back with anything that sparked in his mind, and picking up on any little joke I made in the process.

After practicing some raw movements we wanted to try a little sparring, but we were caught by the sunset, which reminded us of how tired we already were. We returned to the mansion and Eugeo excused himself for a bit, wanting to talk to Kaan about something, so I retreated to my room.

Asuna appeared in it merely a few minutes later.

"You're unbelievable Kirito..." she said, silently closing the door behind her. "How did you manage to do that so fast?"

"We shouldn't take the improbable for impossible," I gave her an innocent look. "Isn't that what you tried to teach me just recently?"

"So what, there isn't even a point in asking?"

"I suppose not."

She sighed in pretended surrender and sat down on the edge of my bed. "I'm helping you to come up with a strategy against this stubborn winged kinsman of a mule and this is how you thank me?"

"Well, take into account that you're talking to one of his kin right now."

"Right, why be straightforward when you can have it complicated... I will knock it out of your head," she suddenly snatched one of the pillows, arranged neatly in a pile at the head of the bed and smacked me with it straight in the face. I think she didn't consider though, that I would pick the game up as quickly as I did.

When I was already on my third pillow, the previous two being lost somewhere underneath the table in the corner of the room, the door opened suddenly and Eugeo appeared in the doorway. Almost at the exact same moment Asuna's pillow flew right above his head and landed in the anteroom. He glanced over his shoulder, utterly confused, then turned to us again, raising his eyebrows even higher. Noone could blame him. There I was, sprawled on my back at the foot of my bed, my neck craned to be able to look at him, and above me, propped with her hands on the messed up bedsheets was Asuna, marvelous chestnut hair hanging at my sides like two thin curtains.

"What... are you doing?" he managed finally.

"Why do you ask?"

"Well..." a hint of amusement danced in Eugeo's voice. "I think anyone would be interested in why you suddenly decided to demolish your room... and with the help of a beautiful woman no less..." At this point he had to dodge quickly, when I snatched a pillow lying near Asuna's knee and sent it his way with a clumsy flick of my wrist. "You're asking for it..."

"Well, maybe that's what I want?" my innocent grin must have looked ridiculous, given the position I was currently in. Even so, it felt like it's been ages since I felt so lighthearted.

Eugeo picked the pillow up and looked Asuna in the eyes briefly before throwing it. She dodged quickly enough to not become the target, and slowly enough to not give me time to move out of the way.

"That's not fair..." I said, shoving the pillow away from my face.

"Didn't you just say, that this is what you want?"

"Oh you..." I squeezed the fabric firmly, got up to my knees and hurled it back at him with everything I had.

Eugeo's surprised squeak lured Sivath, who was resting by the door to the bridge, into my room as well, and the fight resumed with two new participants, the dog chasing the occasional falling feathers and barking playfully.

It took around a quarter to use up all of our energy, with me collapsing first, still being a bit sore from my recent lake adventure. A few minutes passed in silence, before Eugeo broke it, stopping to stroke Sivath lazily. "Thank you..." he said quietly.

"For what, making your hair look like Kirito's every morning?" I heard Asuna's breathless reply from somewhere in the head of the bed, but didn't even summon my strength to glance over.

Eugeo laughed silently and started setting his flaxen bangs in order. "No. For the fact that you didn't give up and write me off like I did..."

"We couldn't just leave you..." I managed to answer. "But if you pull something like that off again, I'm going to use something heavier than a pillow next time..."

I felt Asuna shift on the bedsheets slightly, and her voice sounded a bit more serious when she spoke again. "And from now on, we will make sure you keep in mind, that if you lose something, you can always find it again. But if you purposely cast something away, you might never be able to recover it..."

Eugeo looked at her for a moment, then smiled gently and bowed his head, accepting the warm reprimand. He then sighed contently and leaned his head on my stomach.

I closed my eyes, mimicking him with my own, satisfied sigh and repositioned myself more comfortably on the bed. Maybe the chasms, that I imagined between us three at the beginning were never truly there to begin with...

* * *

„ _Something pulled me back..._

_The Voice of Reason I forgot I had..."_


	20. The Beginning of the End

After the combat concluded, and the only thing missing on the battlefield, that was my neat bedding not long ago, were corpses, we took care of the shambles and decided to call it a day. After the mental and physical strains of the past days I fell asleep almost instantly.

But that night I awoke unexpectedly for some reason, when the world around was already in the deepest phase of peaceful slumber.

I sat up abruptly and stared at the darkness of my room for a moment, listening to my own, hastened breath. I looked around. I didn't notice anything that could be a reason for the disturbance in my usually intense sleep. I glanced towards one of the windows. It must have been pretty late already, since the moon, approaching its full phase, cast its light in an angle that suggested it was already finishing its journey through the west side of the sky. I didn't even remember dreaming anything...

I got up, still semi-conscious, and went over to the table, where I always had a glass of water prepared. I took one little sip, then a second, listening to the crickets calling to one another outside. Like usually from this spot, my sleepy gaze fell on the mirror.

I frowned slightly and put the glass back. I went up to the mirror and shifted my face really close to the cool surface. I wasn't sure, but it felt like something about my eyes has changed. They usually seemed like very dark storm clouds to me, but right now they took on a pure, deep black. Was it just the darkness, that made them seem different? But it wasn’t that dark in my room due to the moonlight. Or was it one of the side-effects of being a Disciple? Or...

I craned my neck.

There was a noise from the room above, like the gentle creaking of the wooden floor boards. I wasn't sure if it really came from upstairs, or from the haze in my mind, that demanded sleep, so I listened for a moment, unmoving.

And then there was another sound, like a heavy book being put back into the old, solid bookshelf. Could it be Eugeo or Asuna? But why would any of them be there at this hour? Or was it possible, that the maids were cleaning the room at night...? No, that was ridiculous.

I quietly opened the door. All other doors, including the one leading outside, were closed. I creeped towards the spiral staircase and soundlessly made my way up.

At first I stopped at a step just high enough to allow me to just barely peek into the library. A small candle stood on the dining table to my left, but it felt unnecessary. The moonlight coming from the west was now perfectly illuminating the east side of the vast room, where all the bookshelves towered. In front of one of them I spotted a slender shadow in a deep-sapphire gown, holding one of the books open in its hands. I sighed in relief and traversed the last few steps up.

Eugeo turned his gaze away from the script and his eyes glimmered with surprise in the semi-darkness. "Kirito?" he asked softly. "... oh no, I'm sorry... did I wake you up?"

"It's alright," I waved it off. "But what are you doing here at this hour?"

He lowered his gaze to the book again. "Well... I had some trouble falling asleep. At some point I just gave up and wanted to do something productive with the time left until morning."

"Are you not feeling well?"

"No, it's not like that," he closed the book and put it back to its place between the others. "There was... just too much on my mind." He left the deeper shadow of the library area and went over to the balcony behind the dining table, into the direct moonlight. Two moths that came in from outside were dancing around the flame of the candle like two restless ghosts. I followed him, but felt some unpleasant stir just above my stomach. Like some inner instinct silently whispering to me that something was wrong...

"Are you sure everything's alright, Eugeo?" I asked again, standing by his side and leaning against the balustrade.

"Of course," he gave me a reassuring smile. "I will be sleeping like a log the next night, you’ll see."

I stared at him for a few more moments, then turned to face the lake with a tiny sigh. I closed my tired eyes, taking in the calming night breeze that caressed my hair... and suddenly a chill ran down my spine.

When my vision stopped to occupy a vast part of my brain, my mind started to concentrate on other aspects of the surroundings. There should have been only the rustle of leaves, the touch of wind coming from the north, the whisper of the waves below and the tiny flicker of a soul to my right. But there was none of the usual calm tenderness. What I felt next to me was almost palpable, the presence heavy and aggressive, almost putting pressure on me, nearly causing mental pain...

My instinct instantly threw everything else out the window.

I turned to fully face him, involuntarily taking a step back. Upon seeing that, the boy before me hung his head a little, as if to hide his expression beneath the flaxen fringe and laughed shortly. It was a completely unfamiliar sound, deep and sharp. It sounded like purified danger.

"It seems you're far more perceptive than I thought," said that unfamiliar voice. "And you don't trust blindly, that's a virtue as well..." the figure lifted its head. It was Eugeo's face, Eugeo's eyes, but their expression definitely didn't belong to Eugeo. There was malice glimmering somewhere deep inside them, a coldness that almost froze me in place. "But your reaction time still needs a lot of work."

"Who are you...?!" I demanded, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Oh, you're hurting me, it's not been that long since we last met... or... maybe you don't remember because you've lost your memory back then?"

"What...?"

"You won't even try to guess? Surely you must be suspecting something."

Before I could answer, the shadows around us moved and gathered before me, covering the figure. No logical thought came to my mind, that was able to explain what was happening. I wanted to do something, defend myself, but... how? And from what? And before I could even come to a conclusion as to what I was seeing, the shadows faded away slowly, like ink dispersing in water, revealing a completely different person. I wasn't even able to blink. Reality must have just gone on a lunch break. Suddenly I was staring in the bright eyes of a tall man, looking down at me with a hawk-like gaze, as if considering me his next prey. The delicate scent that reached me sparked the thought of a mountain forest, his sharp features gave away a foreigner.

"Or maybe..." the intruder continued, "you don't remember because it was me, who erased your memory back then?"

I had to support myself on the balcony's balustrade with one hand. "You... you did... two years ago...?" I stammered.

The stranger smiled, visibly pleased with the effect of his words. "Indeed."

"So... you're working for Sharish?"

"For this madman? Not anymore. Our viewpoints have become too diverse. Besides, I never truly worked for him, but that's none of your concern."

"Why would you... this is just sick..."

"Why?"

The simplicity and natural curiosity echoing in this question froze my brain. How... how could a human being even ask something like that? "It's... because..." My dumbfounded face must have seemed amusing to him for some reason, because he laughed shortly. "Shut up!"

"You haven't changed much since the last time I saw you," he said collectedly. "You have the same transparent eyes, which I can read everything from: fear, uncertainty, desperation... funny thing, it was the same with your beloved companion, Eugeo..."

That name on those vicious lips thawed all ice, that held me in place in the blink of an eye. My mind suddenly focused on reality and I started remembering what Asuna told me about summoning fire. I opened my hand at my side, already feeling the flame coming to life. "Don't you dare involve Eugeo..." I warned him. "He has nothing to do with it."

"You have no idea how wrong you are..."

Not noticing how big the flame in my palm has become, I concentrated all of my anger in this one spot and hurled it at him like with a horizontal sword slash. The fire left a bright line behind, hit one of the chairs standing by the table first, then the stranger standing before me and lastly one of the semi-transparent curtains behind him to his right. The candle fell to the floor and went out.

A sudden gust of wind hit me from the side with a surprising force, spraying around little sparks, that my attack left behind. It died down as quickly as it came, and suddenly, in the spot where the man was standing, I saw a little brown feather lazily floating to the floor. When it touched the wooden surface, I sank to it as well, my knees finally giving up on me. Only that feather and the smoldering remnants of the curtain were an evidence, that what I just saw wasn't a dream. The man was gone... Did I just...?

I heard footsteps coming from the direction of the staircase and a second later the silhouette of Eugeo entered my vision. The real Eugeo, I didn't have any doubts this time... Asuna appeared right behind him and started to look around in confusion.

"Are you alright Kirito?" I heard Eugeo's concerned voice, as he kneeled by my side. "What did you...?"

I didn't answer. How in the world was I supposed to explain to them what just happened?

Unexpectedly, it turned out to be unnecessary. Eugeo suddenly turned his head towards the feather, still lying in front of me, moving slightly in the night breeze coming from the lake. I wasn't sure, but it felt like he held his breath, and a sudden shadow appeared in his bright eyes. "Eugeo...?" I finally managed a whisper. "Is..."

"He was here..." he interrupted me in an absent, hollow tone. I blinked. "He was here, wasn't he...? It's the same feather he left... by Sitriel's body..."

I would have needed support, if it weren't for the fact that I was already sitting on the floor. I had no idea...

I wasn't aware in the slightest... that the man standing before me just seconds ago, was the one responsible for all of Eugeo's suffering...

* * *

„ _Maybe Time has a shape..."_


	21. If there's a thing called Destiny...

Nothing more dangerous than a short rain right before dawn happened during the rest of that night. The sun that greeted us was hazy, the chill of the morning discreetly sneaked into the mansion through ajar windows.

I was sitting with Asuna at the table in the upstairs room, discussing what happened a few hours ago. Eugeo didn't join us. He didn't even leave his room for breakfast this morning. I was terrified, that the appearance of Sitriel's murderer would toss my friend back into the half-dead state that we have just managed to pull him out of. To my relief though, when I brought the breakfast to his room, he just seemed a bit down and a little tense. I tried to convince him to eat with us, but he just gave me a little smile, said he would like to think about some things alone, that I should be careful and that me and Asuna shouldn't worry.

And so we sat there, just the two of us, worrying.

"I really don't know what to make of this..." Asuna sighed, propping her chin on her hand. "How did he even manage to sneak in here?"

"Well, he did look and sound like Eugeo so flawlessly that even I got fooled." The sheer thought of it caused another chill to run down my spine. "It wouldn't be surprising if none of the servants noticed..."

"Unbelievable..." Asuna stabbed the slice of apple tart in front of her with a little fork, lost in thought. The subtle scent of rum, that the fruits were soaking in before landing in the dough, reached me with the tiny breeze that came in from the balcony door. "What is even more curious, Eureo's sirath didn't warn him at all. He said he rushed upstairs only because the noise woke him up."

"But his sirath reacts only, if Eugeo himself is in danger, doesn't it?"

"Maybe, but do you believe, that this man came here only to get on your nerves a little? I think we all should expect some danger from him."

"You think he will come back?"

"Well, I'm sure he didn't show himself to you just for fun tonight. For me, it smells of trouble like a meadow smells of hay. But tell me... didn't your sirath react to him?"

"It might have, but I didn't know... I always take it off for the night, it's a little uncomfortable. I'll never do it again even if it should poke a hole between my ribs..."

"I see..."

"You know what was the most curious thing to me though?"

"What?"

"He said he's not working for Sharish anymore, because their viewpoints became too diverse. What could he have meant by that?"

Asuna looked me in the eyes, tilting her head slightly. I noticed that she had that adorable habit when she was thinking about something intensively.

"Interesting..." she murmured. "Although I'm not entirely sure what's worse for us: him under the command of Sharish or him practicing his merry business on his own... Still, I have a feeling that doesn't change much. Among people like them you never know who is in cahoots with whom, and who he's betraying... and it means trouble for us either way."

We fell silent for a moment. I pensively traced the stem of my goblet with the tip of my finger and then started to swirl it delicately. Observing the remaining juice rotate along the crystal walls helped me to concentrate somehow.

"There is one more thing that doesn't give me any peace of mind..." Asuna's voice brought me back to reality a minute or two later. "How did you manage to summon a flame so strong, that it was enough to drive away someone so powerful and burn some furniture atop of that? You tried it only once in your life before that, as far as I'm aware."

"I'm not entirely sure either..." I murmured negligently and downed the rest of the nectar. It was wonderfully refreshing, but unfortunately didn't brighten my thoughts. "I was just furious..."

"Anger is not a good solution Kirito," Asuna got very grave all of a sudden. "As a last resort, it can be used as a source for the fire, but you shouldn't do that. Just keep to what I told you earlier."

"Why? Does that make any difference?"

"Yes, it does. Hate isn't able to drive hate away, it can only make it grow more. And that's the best scenario. It's the same as with darkness not being able to drive away darkness. Only light can do that. So please don't do it again, alright? It will be better for you that way, trust me."

"Alright... if you say so."

"Still... you just keep amazing me. You seem to learn quicker than me and Eugeo combined. Which rises our chances of survival and victory..."

I sighed silently. "Don't you think this is all pretty stupid?" I asked suddenly.

She watched me for a few moments, as if trying to grasp the context of my words. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well... this whole conflict... is all of that really necessary? Does it make any sense?"

"It doesn't."

Upon hearing such a quick and unhesitating answer I lifted my eyes from the goblet.

"You're right when you think it's stupid," Asuna continued, smiling gently at my surprised expression. "I don't see how it makes sense either... but do we have any other choice? I don't think you want to die without resisting? Personally I won't let them have their way... it might be true, that sometimes it's more interesting to just let destiny carry you and see what it has prepared at the end, but I don't want to regret anything. I like you... no, I love you both like my brothers. So even if I am destined to fight or maybe even die, then I don't want it to be pointless. I want to fight for what's important to me and protect something, that is worth any sacrifice. For the ones who make the remnants of hope shine in this world. For all the wonderful times and memories we shared, so that we can have even more in the future. I think this is the secret of being happy: to find even the smallest things that warm up your heart and make sure you have them with you on every step of you journey. Take these tarts that Kaan makes for example," she finished in a lighter tone and impaled the last bit of apple with her fork. "You can immediately feel that he knows what's important in life."

"Yeah right... even with the choice of his ladylove he had an amazing intuition," I joked. "He is a wise man indeed..."

When she looked at me again, there was a mix of amusement, embarrassment and the desire to scold me sparkling in her eyes. Despite my humorous tone though, I was being honest. Asuna was a girl perfectly composed from beauty, intelligence, warmth, resourcefulness, zest for life and many other things... I was a bit jealous of Kaan, but I was still happy for them.

"I'm sorry, I know I talk stupid sometimes..." I smiled gently. "I just can't help but have these strange thoughts every now and then..."

"What thoughts?"

"That the fight with Sharish is pointless for example. Even if we do get rid of him, there always will be someone, who will try to harm others in one way or another. Sometimes I even wonder if we could just take all our loved ones and flee somewhere, where we wouldn't have to worry about any of that... I know it's selfish but I just can't entirely drive these thoughts away..."

"It's not really that strange. I think most human beings would feel that way if they were in your position." Asuna seemed to think about something for a moment, before she spoke again: "Let me share a tale with you, one that goes around my folk. A long time ago, where the Silivren Forest grows today, there was the sea. After many years of ruling over the region, it started to go back bit by bit, giving the space up to the land. Noone really knows why that happened, but the sea, furious at this state of things, started to lash out at the shores with its waves, making countless sea creatures stay helplessly on the sand. A young boy, an elf from a nearby village, walked along the shore every day, picking up every living thing he found and throwing them back into the water. One of the druids noticed it one day, watched the boy for some time and finally walked up to him to ask why he's doing it. According to the druid, the boy's efforts were completely pointless, the sea would just keep washing the creatures upon the shore all the same, so what he's doing doesn't have any meaning. The boy looked the druid in the eyes in silence for a moment, then bent over to pick up a fish, lying on the sand between them, and tossed it into the water. He looked at the man again and said: 'To her, it meant the world...'"

For a long while, I wasn't able to turn my gaze away from those wise eyes.

"I bet there are countless people similar to Eugeo in Earlindon..." she continued almost inaudibly, as if wanting me to focus all my senses on her next words. "If, a few days ago, I would have told you that what you are doing is pointless, that what you are doing doesn't have any meaning, because there will always be someone in this world, who will be unhappy just like him... would you have given up?"

I closed my eyes, exhaling shortly. A small smile found its way to my lips. "No way I would have... I'm sorry... and thanks for the reprimand."

Asuna giggled quietly. "Everyone needs one every now and then, even me. But since we are talking about Eugeo... you should go to him. And once you're there, don't let him shoo you away and try to convey that message. Locking himself up in his room won't change anything."

"Gladly," I stood up. I looked her in the eyes once more, smiled gratefully and slightly bowed my head in respect, before heading down.

Once in front of Eugeo's door, I gave it a soft knock. When no answer came, I did it again, determined to follow Asuna's advice. But when even the third knock was left unanswered, I warned, that I'm coming in and slowly opened the door. I raised my eyebrows. The room was empty. "Eugeo?"

Upon looking around my gaze suddenly fell on the mirror, that was situated just opposite the door in his bedroom. One little detail caught my attention... I approached it and took a closer look at my face.

Even in daylight, my eyes weren't the stormcloud dark-grey anymore. They were black, intense like fresh ink I used to write my notes with not so long ago... They looked exactly as they did that night, right before...

I suddenly felt a freezing chill surround my heart. As fast as I could, I ran back to the library upstairs.

* * *

„ _Regret nothing..._

_What you regret might kill you..."_


	22. The Taste of Magic

I steadied myself with my hand against the trunk of the tall pine I was standing on, looking around. Innocent sheep formed in the sky above, as if not feeling the gravity of the situation in the slightest. In resignation, I glanced towards the gardens, where Kaan was accompanying Sivath, the dog sniffing around eagerly. Then I shifted my gaze to one of the little clearings near the shore, where we practiced for our first flying attempts not so long ago, and where now the slender figure of Asuna moved around. Her calling for Eugeo did nothing more than scare a pair of swans hiding in the reed though. In the front of the mansion only a warm wind chased an occasional weaker leaf, that it managed to rip from some inattentive branch. I sighed. We searched almost everywhere by now...

I let my hand slide down the bark, spread my wings a little and let myself fall a few meters, before soaring into the air above the forest. I looked around again... which just made no sense to me anymore. It verged on a miracle to spot anything between the mass of leaves from above. But then I noticed something in the corner of my vision... the brighter, vast stain of the enormous willow among the dark trees...

Yes, that was the place that has become so special to me just yesterday... but something was wrong. I frowned. I was getting a strange feeling while looking at the gigantic tree crown, as if my subconsciousness was registering some important detail, but I couldn't define it. I flew towards it a bit, letting myself fall gradually and suddenly wavered in midair. I hastily beat my wings stronger a few times to steady myself.

Then I understood. The willow's twigs weren't moving at all, despite the rest of the forest swaying in the delicate wind. Like there was absolutely no movement of air around that single tree only...

I lowered myself even further, urged on by the strengthening conviction sparked by the memory of Asuna's words, or maybe something I myself was starting to sense... I split the green curtains carefully with one hand. I didn't notice anything unusual, but I felt like something was lurking beneath the living canopy. Something alien and hostile... I just wondered what my next step should be, when something caught my eye... and caused my heart to skip a beat.

Right by the massive, dark trunk, there was a feather... a single brown feather, so innocent, and yet so ominous...

I had no doubts about what happened anymore. I took a few deep breaths to calm down, separated the twigs further and folded my wings completely to fall into the gap. I cushioned the drop with one beat of my wings and landed on the soft moss.

I didn't have the time to look around, when I heard a deep voice, so familiar to me even despite having heard it only once in my life: "So you have managed to find me, Kirito..."

I glanced to my left. The man was standing just around the willow's trunk, his back leaned against it. His exquisite, dark blue clothing didn't fit into the green of the surroundings very well, unlike his short hair, that matched the color of the bark perfectly. "I didn't expect you here so quickly..." he spoke again, turning to face me. "How did you know?"

"Even if I told you, I doubt you would understand," I answered coldly. "A piece of advice though... if you want to fool a Disciple, then don't mess around with the movement of air."

"Oh? And why would you give me such useful advices?"

"Why indeed... maybe I'll think of an answer if you tell me what you've done with Eugeo first?"

"He's resting somewhere else right now... say, did I even introduce myself? My name is Chrysheight..."

"I don't care, where is he?!"

"You're so impatient... he's close," the man made a slight gesture with his hand and suddenly the clearing underneath the willow disappeared, swallowed by darkness. The chirping of birds died down, the smell of moss vanished... Even so, I still saw the magician standing in front of me, clear and unfaded... I've already seen his magic once, but it didn't prevent the shadow of fear to surface from the depths of my mind. And then, above the irritatingly restless beating of my heart, came the sound of waves, smell of water and a breeze that caressed my wings. The last thing to return was vision, and I suddenly saw the shore of the lake, a narrow space between it and the forest on its western side. I looked around. The horizon was closed by tall trees, which descended almost to the very edge of the water in some places. The mansion loomed far behind my back.

When I turned to face the magician again, he smiled and glanced to his left. I involuntarily followed his gaze and my breath got caught in my chest.

There was a big, mostly flat boulder right at the edge of the water, the waves breaking on it with a silent hiss. On the moist surface laid Eugeo, unmoving, one hand dropped down in the direction of the Blue Rose Sword, half buried in the sand that shifted with the waves. There was a little crimson trail going from his right temple down his pale cheek...

I ran up to him and immediately put my ear to his chest. I closed my eyes and exhaled in relief upon hearing the soft heartbeat and the breath that matched the waves... But it didn't manage to soothe the rage. I looked at the mage again, ready to burn him to ashes right here and now. "What did you do to him?!"

"I was merely defending myself," his irritatingly innocent tone didn't help matters. "He came at me with the sword..."

"Well I assume he had a very good reason for that!"

"It was him who attacked first," the man took a few steps in our direction. "And as you can see, he's still alive, so..." I felt an inner voice telling me, that it would be good to at least listen to what he has to say, but there was something that stifled it. I noticed that as the mage approached, he made no sound... short grass covered the shore, there were single leaves and little twigs among it here and there, and yet I didn't even hear the slightest rustle of his boots brushing them. Even the forest around us seemed strangely quiet, no whispers coming from it, no singing of birds. There was just this penetrating silence, as if everything around has just died.

I suddenly realized that I've made a fatal mistake by letting this man get close to us.

But I had to suppress fear. I had to protect Eugeo, whatever that might cost me. I stood up, getting between him and the mage, feeling something that was unfamiliar to me until now. Like the fury in my chest was helping to clear the mind. There was nothing beside protecting Eugeo among my thoughts at that very moment. I rose my hands slightly, starting to summon fire. To my surprise though, the flame appeared belatedly, sparking strangely between my fingers. Upon seeing that I came to my senses. The memory of Asuna's words suddenly broke through the scalding anger...

"Really...?" I heard the mage's voice and lifted my head. "You will just end up like your friend, wouldn't it be better..."

"It wouldn't!" I lashed the anger at him within my words for a change, so it wouldn't go into my magic instead and this time the flame sprang to life without hesitation. I sent it in his direction without thinking much... and realized my second mistake a split second too late. There was a light forming in my enemy's hand as well, but a light of a different kind, something like wisps of pure energy circling his palm. He made a quick motion with his wrist and suddenly something akin to a mirror appeared right in front of him. I was able to only stare in terror, as my flames met the smooth surface, reformed into bright wisps as well, as if his magic was absorbing mine, and then it was hurled back at me with the full force of my own anger.

I instinctively shielded myself with my left forearm and wing, which wasn't the smartest decision either... Some nasty impulse ran through my body, spreading from the space just below the leading edge all the way to my legs. I bit my lip as I fell to my knees, holding my left shoulder with my right hand. It went completely numb, just as my left wing did, suddenly hanging at my side in an unnatural position... It wasn't painful, but the realization of the powerfulness of my opponent made my breath go hasty and my heart race in panic.

"I like this trick, I admit..." said the mage as he came a few steps closer again, looking down at me with this hawk-like gaze and making a chill of terror run down my spine, "but was it really necessary to force me to use it? It's so pathetic it's not even funny... Your wings are powerful, but as long as you're in my reach, they can only fly to a certain height... that is defined by me. So why don't you just calmly listen to what I have to say, since you're so conveniently immobilized?"

I wasn't sure what burned more: the anger pulsing in my veins, or the tears of helplessness that fought their way to my eyes. When I saw the mage rise his hand again, I just squeezed them shut, completely horrified, ready to give up...

... and then a familiar, crystal-clear ringing reached my ears from the direction of the forest. "Asuna..." I whispered, raising my head slightly again.

The silent prayer got answered... and there were a few things that happened almost in the same moment.

To my surprise, I noticed the man standing before me lowering his hand into his pocket... then something red caught my eye between the tree branches slightly above his left shoulder. Next, I had to turn my head away, because a blinding red flash came from somewhere, but definitely wasn't caused by my opponent. When I was able to open my eyes again, I went completely speechless.

Between us stood Asuna, her chest rising and falling rapidly, her back to me and Eugeo, shielding us both with her own body. And...

... she had wings...

Majestic, deep-crimson at the top, fading to a pale scarlet further down, covered with gorgeous, ruby scales... she held them half-folded, slightly bent in an aggressive fashion towards the mage standing before her.

The man took a step back. He obviously didn't expect the third Disciple to appear right at this moment and completely out of nowhere.

"Leave," Asuna said silently, but her tone intolerant of any objection. She looked so furious her chestnut hair seemed to throw golden sparks around. "If you value your life, leave and never dare to return to this place."

"Isn't that nice..." the mage's voice was calm once again. He regained his composure so quickly it was scary. "Now all of the Disciples have awakened. Still, I don't think you stand a chance against me, considering your powers have just started developing, so..."

Asuna just smiled mockingly and interrupted him, "Well, if you're prepared to have one or two things damaged in the process, I will gladly watch you test that theory..." She lifted her hand and traced a wide semi-circle above her head with it. Her fingers left an impressive arch of bright flames behind. They started to flicker above her head, crackling menacingly. "Leave," she repeated, her voice emphasizing that this was the last warning.

The mage frowned, but didn't move. "How..."

"I'm sorry, that's not the answer you were supposed to give me!" with one flick of her wrist Asuna sent the flames flying his way before I could stop her.

And the same way it did tonight, a sudden wind picked up, causing us to shield our eyes from the frantically dancing leaves. When we looked again, the man was gone, one little brown feather remaining in his place.

Suddenly the forest regained its voice, the birds called out again from between the tree crowns, the whisper of the lake became clearer...

Ignoring the still remaining numbness, I shakily shifted closer to Eugeo's side again. He was still unconscious, but somehow he just looked like he was simply asleep now... I sighed in relief.

"I think he will be fine," I felt Asuna kneel beside me and felt her delicate hand touch my shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Her gentle voice, completely devoid of the earlier anger, erased the last remainder of tension in my body and mind. I slumped, leaning my forehead against the cold rock by Eugeo's side, completely exhausted. I was almost ready to cry from the relief... I didn't feel best, but right now the most important thing to me was the fact, that Eugeo was safe... that we all were...

I just breathed slowly for a few moments, before speaking quietly: "Asuna..."

"Yes?"

"Just now... how did you... when...?"

"When did I suddenly develop to this level?" she asked gently, as if wanting to spare me the trouble of voicing my thoughts. "To be honest... the 'draconic' part of my nature has already awoken quite some time ago. Being a druid makes it easier for me to handle any kind of magic, so the magic of the Disciples quickly became something natural to me as well... still... even now I sometimes fear, that it might not be enough..."

"Then why..."

"Why did I keep it a secret? I wanted to use it as an element of surprise in case something like that just now happened... I suspected that someone connected to Sharish would be observing our actions and I wanted him to get an impression, that he shouldn't have a big problem with getting rid of us... and I'm glad I did that. Because you're both still here thanks to it..."

"But... I don't think it was this man's intention to really hurt us..."

"Sorry?"

I suddenly felt Eugeo stir a little and lifted my head weakly. His eyelashes fluttered delicately and I finally saw those green eyes, the shadow of unconsciousness dispelling from somewhere deep inside them.

My tired mind identified it as a sign, that everything was alright again. The last thing I managed was a faint smile, before my eyes slipped shut and I fell into an exhausted sleep, drained of any thoughts or visions...

* * *

„ _Let the Magic dry your Tears and heal your Heart..."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, that is Seijirou Kikuoka, in his real-life appearance and with his in-game name. Because "Chrysheight" fits much better into a fantasy setting, and because his in-game avatar looks just horrible XD
> 
> I've put the map of Earlindon to my Twitter (Yasenka Glorfindel or YGlorfindel). It's not the best in terms of proportions, but should help you to follow some things.
> 
> Thank you all for reading and for the kudos! :)


	23. The Healing Whispers

I woke up in bed, covered by my soft, warm blanket. The room was semi-dark, the soothing murmurs of a thunderstorm coming from outside.

For a few moments I just stared at the creamy ceiling, searching my fogged mind for something that would explain me being here, feeling light and drained... and the moment I finally remembered, there was a kind voice that came from my left. "Well good morning, sleepyhead." It was Asuna. She sat down by my side, smiling at me. "How do you feel?"

I didn't answer right away, just stared at her, half-conscious. "How's Eugeo..." I finally rasped.

She sighed heavily, giving the ceiling a resigned look. "If the first thing that comes to your mind after awakening is Eugeo, then I suppose you're just fine..." she said, shaking her head slightly. "You should worry about yourself sometimes too, you know."

"But is he alright...?"

"He is, he was sleeping as deep as ever when I checked on him an hour ago. Can I get my answer as well please?"

"I'm fagged out..."

"Sounds adequate to what you were up to... and does anything hurt?"

I tried moving carefully. "No... there is just still a bit of numbness in my shoulder and wing... not as bad as it was though..."

"Your fault for letting him get you like that... but I checked them thoroughly, they're not damaged," she caressed the surface of my wing delicately with her fingertips, sending a warm shiver up to my shoulderblade. "I still have some herbs, I should be able to conjure something that will make it better."

"Thanks..." I finally managed a small smile. I was so glad everything ended well...

"But I would say you deserved it in a way."

"Excuse me?"

"What did I tell you about using anger as a source for the fire?"

I winced. "I didn't want to do that, I was just... irritated."

"Exactly. You have to learn to control your anger because I might not be so conveniently at hand next time. Is that clear?"

"Yes ma'am..."

She smiled, giving me a light fillip on the nose, but soon returned to a serious expression again. "Tell me though... you said something about that man not really wanting to hurt us before you passed out... what did you mean?"

"Oh... well..." I turned my eyes to the window, gathering my still scattered thoughts. "I just had that feeling... he had so many opportunities to really hurt us... he was so powerful... if he wanted, he could have finished us off with just the flick of a wrist... but he didn't... it didn't feel like he was just playing with us for his own pleasure either... I admit, I was a bit blinded by rage and fear but he... he did try to tell me something, and I never let him..."

Asuna was quiet for quite long, her gaze fixed absently on the green of my bedsheets. Finally the thoughtful look dispelled from her eyes and she sighed again, softly this time. "I have a feeling it makes no sense to think about it now... we won't find an answer on our own anyway. Say... would you have enough strength to get up soon?"

"Depends on what for..."

"I thought a warm bath would help with the numbness as well. Eugeo could use some relaxation too..."

I smiled sleepily. "Sounds tempting."

"I'll make a request for some hot water then and you try to collect yourself in the meantime," she got up from the edge of my bed. "I'll come get you when it's ready."

I nodded gratefully and closed my eyes for one more moment. After the sound of the door closing silently behind her, I stayed like this for a while longer, drifting away into a sleep as delicate as a spider web every now and then, but finally got fed up with lying in this bed. I've spent way too much time in it lately.

I carefully sat up, fearing some pain, but none came from neither my shoulder nor my wing. I got up, walked over to the little dresser and started to search for the bath towel.

The moment I finally found it, a knock came from my door and Asuna peeked inside after an invitating hum from me.

"Oh, you got up," despite her earlier scoldings, she seemed relieved. "Good, that means you're not in as a bad shape as I thought. Do you need help getting down?"

"Don't exaggerate, I can do it."

She answered me with a smile and disappeared. I took the towel and a fresh shirt with me and left as well.

Upon entering the anteroom I perceived some pleasant smell in the air. I sniffed a bit, curious. It smelled like trees, spruces, I thought, but wasn't sure. There was something exotic to it, that didn't exactly match my memory. I went down the stairs carefully and at first almost didn't notice Eugeo, with his pale skin and flaxen hair, among all that sandstone. He was sitting with his forearms crossed on the bath's edge, his chin resting on them. He seemed to doze, lulled by the water's warmth.

I smiled and tried to make my steps quieter as I descended all the way down. There were three windows on the widest wall of the room: one tall in the middle, now slightly ajar, letting some fresh air and the murmur of thunderstorm in, and two smaller ones on its sides, looking out to the lake. Even so the room was semi-dark due to the clouds, but there were a few candelabras lit here and there along the other walls. I liked such weather sometimes, but only when I was on the safe side of the window. The invigorating scent of forest was even clearer down here and it seemed like the air has become fresher from it, cleaner. It somehow reminded me of the breath of the Silivren Forest and a thought crossed my mind, that Asuna must have added some sophisticated druid extract to the water.

I hid behind a small screen in the corner to get rid of my clothes and tied the towel around my hips. I carefully sank into the water, trying not to agitate it too much. It was delightfully hot and I felt my muscles relax almost immediately. The moment I sat down on the little ledge carved skillfully out of the polished sandstone, Eugeo stirred slightly and spoke, not even bothering to open his eyes: "You know, it's not like I will punch you if you make any loud noise," his voice was amused, which brought another touch of relief.

"I thought maybe you're sleeping..."

"In water? I'm not you."

I laughed shortly and he opened his eyes. His stare got a little serious. "Are you alright? Asuna told me, that Chrysheight wasn't very delicate with you either..."

"Just a little numbness, nothing more... what about you?" my eyes wandered to his temple, where something like a thin layer of balm glistened around the closed wound.

"Asuna patched me together, I don't even feel it anymore... seriously, I'm starting to understand why the skills of druids are so highly valued."

"Too bad you didn't see how she defended us from this guy... I thought I was being delirious for a moment."

"Why, what did she do?"

I explained everything in detail, all the while observing the awe growing in Eugeo's green eyes. When I finished, we both fell silent for a moment, as if praying a tacit thanks to our beautiful goddess.

It was then that I remembered something. I spread one of my wings slightly above the water, neutralizing the light reflections on its surface, and took a close look at myself.

"What is it?" asked my friend upon seeing my irritated expression.

"Nothing, just... I wonder why my eyes changed their color."

"They did?" Eugeo tilted his head slightly to take a better look. "I don't see a difference, they were always like that... no, hang on. They were more gray when we set out from your village if I remember correctly..."

"Exactly. It started the night when that Chrysheight first appeared..."

"No, I'm pretty sure they were like that already when you found me under the willow... and the day I fished you out of the lake too."

"Then why...?"

"I don't know..."

"But since we are talking about that madman already..." the question I was afraid of for Eugeo's sake had to come out sooner or later. "What do you plan to do about him?"

He looked me in the eyes briefly, but calmly, before turning his gaze towards the window, outside of which the rain has just stopped falling. "I'm not sure," he finally answered. "And... honestly, I think I don't care anymore. I won't change what has already happened and even if I take vengeance, it won't bring Sitriel back. I would just become as horrible as his murderer... maybe I should to try to forget about it. It makes no sense to make it worse for me and adding to the world's suffering by tormenting myself with what might have been and what might never be... and... I kind of feel better with it."

A tiny sigh of relief escaped my lips. "The idea of letting him get away with it does sound weird... but I still think it's the right decision."

He gave me a tender smile. "And it's all thanks to you and Asuna."

As if her name was a spell, we heard footsteps and soon Asuna appeared at the top of the stairs. "Kaan asked me to make sure the water isn't cold," she said, crouching on one of the steps and looking at us from above.

I wasn't able to hold back. "On the contrary, it's hot like the atmosphere between you two even when he's asking about things as trivial as the temperature of the water," I teased.

A little devilish smile appeared on her lips. "Oh? I suppose you don't need this balm for your wing and shoulder? I guess I'll save it for someone else then," she rose to her feet again.

"No, come back, please, I humbly apologize..." I laughed.

She answered me with her own laughter and went down the remaining steps. She got a tiny flacon out of her pocket and kneeled down by the edge of the bath. "Get out then and sit down in front of me you jokester," when I obeyed, leaving my legs in the warm water still, she opened the little vessel and instructed me further: "Spread the wing halfway backwards, so that I can access the inner surface."

When I did that, she poured a bit of the thin, oily substance onto her hand and started to delicately rub it into the sensitive skin of the wing. The relief was almost immediate. The oil had a subtle warming effect along with a flowery fragrance, and everywhere where Asuna's fingers met my skin the numbness simply melted away after a few seconds. I couldn't help but sigh contently, closing my eyes and relaxing my muscles. I completely understood Eugeo's previous statement about the skill of druids now... She then tended to my shoulder as well, and before I could enjoy the treatment fully, she was done.

"Stay like this a moment longer please," she said, moving towards my back. I glanced over my shoulder, but that just earned me another fillip to the nose.

I felt her fingers spread some of the oil on my back rather randomly, before the soft chime of the flacon being put on the sandstone reached my ears. I then heard a noise that suggested she was rubbing her hands slightly and they touched the base of my back, right above the towel. I didn't have much time to blush, because she moved them upwards immediately in a smooth, but firm motion, aiming between my wings in the direction of my shoulders. Before her fingertips touched them though, she spread her hands and stroked both leading edges of my wings as far as she could reach.

I don't know if it was part of some magic, or if she just pinpointed some nerve that only she knew about, but the sensation was disarming. A pleasant impulse ran through my back, relaxing even the parts the tension in which I wasn't even aware of. If I could, I would have started purring.

"Thanks..." I sighed when she stopped after repeating the movement a few more times. "Good to know, that the sensitivity of our wings isn't just a disadvantage."

Asuna giggled silently. "Well, there are a few more good things."

"Like what?"

Instead of answering, she tickled the most sensitive part of all - the bottom side of my left wing right at the spot where it connected with the rest of my body. I wasn't able to hold back a laugh and reflexively flicked the wing, unintentionally striking the water's surface with it... and splashing a fair amount over unwary Eugeo.

I froze at first, for some reason expecting him to get mad. Asuna probably felt the same, as I heard her hold her breath briefly. But then a beautiful sound echoed through the vast bathroom.

Eugeo's laugh.

It was so clear and bright, I was sure I wouldn't hear anything more heartwarming for a very long time. Even the sun seemed curious about this sound, as it peeked from above the gloomy clouds, entering the mansion with its gentle light. I felt Asuna's hand on my shoulder again, and covered it with mine, closing my eyes. We worked this miracle together...

I shouldn't have let my guard down like this though.

Suddenly I felt warm water splashing me right in the face and Asuna shrieked in laughter, hopping backwards and hiding behind the screen in the corner. I wiped my eyes and looked at Eugeo, who was holding his hands clasped together beneath the water's surface.

His innocent smile quickly became uneasy, when I narrowed my eyes and sank from the edge of the bath into the water again. I lifted one of my wings but he immediately took a deep breath and dived underneath the surface. Smart. But not enough. I mimicked his movement and saw him turn around and swim away.

Unfortunately for him, Eugeo had no chance with me using my wings to move forward. I caught up to him in no time and started to tickle his sides. He squirmed away almost in panic and resurfaced, catching his breath. I followed again, but stuck my head out of the water just a little, giving him a look of the "You asked for it" kind.

"You're cheating," he accused me, squinting.

"How so?"

"You're using your wings."

"Nothing stopping you from doing the same."

"I don't need wings to make you beg for mercy."

"Oh? I sure would like to..." I trailed off, suddenly feeling a weird sensation come over my whole body. My breath came short for some reason and black spots started appearing within my vision...

"Kirito?" I heard Eugeo's concerned voice.

I wasn't entirely sure what happened next. I think Eugeo and Asuna got me out of the water together, helped me sit on the sandstone and lean against Eugeo's shoulder. My mind started to clear up again very quickly, as I felt some unnatural heat leave my body. It made a suspicion rise within my fogged thoughts...

"The water was too hot..." Asuna confirmed it with a silent statement.

"What?" Eugeo seemed confused. "It didn't seem like that to me, I wouldn't have minded if it were even warmer..."

"Consider the wings. They are not much more than vast, thin membranes with a huge number of blood vessels. Imagine the amount of heat they absorb from the surroundings..."

"Oh... I guess we learned something new then..."

"But why did I have to be the example again...?" I whined weakly.

"Look at the bright side, you will remember it best," Asuna joked, spreading her own wings and starting to fan me with one of them. "Don't worry, you will be fine."

True enough, the air movement and the sandstone's chill finally evened the heat out. My heartbeat slowed down and I relaxed, which earned me a relieved sigh from Eugeo.

Asuna folded her wing again after some time and stood up. "I'm going to disappear before I get accused of demolishing the bathroom," she gave us an amused look. "I'll be upstairs. Have fun drying everything."

Before she could make it to the stairs though, we suddenly heard a soft flutter of wings. We glanced towards the window. A little swallow was sitting on the windowsill, chirping loudly, as if wanting to draw our attention. Asuna turned back, stood at the edge of the bath and extended her hand towards the bird, before any of us could even ask any question. The swallow leaped from the windowsill, crossed the room and landed on her finger, clenching its little claws around it delicately. It was then that we noticed a tiny piece of parchment attached to its leg.

"I told you we use them to communicate," she told us, giving me a meaningful look. When she unwrapped the parchment carefully from the bird's leg, it chirped once more and flew away. Asuna opened the message, quickly ran through the letters with her eyes, and suddenly the flush from the room's heat and from the effort of pulling me out of the bath earlier drained from her cheeks in the split of a second.

"What's wrong?" asked Eugeo, clearly concerned.

Asuna only stuttered out one silent word, that we both unfortunately didn't understand. She turned to us again. "I need to go to Silivren Forest. Just please don't follow me!" She stuffed the parchment into her pocket and run up the stairs faster than it should be possible.

"What was that about?" I finally managed to ask.

"I'm not sure but... that word she let slip... I know very little about the language of druids, but I'm pretty sure it means 'Guardian'. But not in general, rather 'Guardian of the Silivren Forest' specifically..."

"And what does it mean for us?"

"For us it means, that we ignore her words and follow her."

I couldn't hold back a smile. "Now you're speaking my language. There's no way I'll let her go alone if something serious is happening."

We gathered ourselves as fast as we could and less than ten minutes later we were already flying above the trees surrounding the mansion, towards the valley that separated us from the Silivren Forest.

* * *

**„ _Life is like an instrument._**

**_What you get out of it depends on how you play it..."_ **


	24. If there is something you fear more than Death...

„What is that 'Guardian of the Silivren Forest' anyway?" I shouted through the hum of wind in my ears when we crossed the border of the valley above the low cliffs. The west wind already tore the clouds apart into herds of adorable cloudlets.

"I think it's some creature that watches over the order and balance of the forest," Eugeo answered, shielding his eyes from the sun as he looked south. "I think it's part of the reason why animals don't attack humans in there... it also protects the inhabitants from anyone who intends to harm them, I briefly told you about it the day we first arrived..."

"Yeah, I remember..."

"And I fear that, if something's really happened to this being, whatever it might be, the forest might fall into chaos."

"But what can we do if we don't even know what it is and where to search for it?"

"I don't know," Eugeo looked ahead again, to the dark line of trees that was starting to get visible. Somewhere between it and us shimmered the crimson scales of Asuna's wings. She was astonishingly far by now. "But I'm sure the druids will be able to point us the right way somehow."

The conversation died out as we concentrated on getting to the forest as quickly as possible. Despite our best efforts though, the sun was already lowering to the far west when we arrived at the other side of the valley, almost completely exhausted. We lost sight of Asuna quite long ago by then. We ascended a bit more to have a better view and make the search for the druid camp easier.

"Did you notice something?" I asked at some point, watching the expanse of enormous, silvery-green trees with worry.

"What?"

"Before, the forest seemed to emit a kind of warmth, a friendly aura... and now describing it as the opposite would be sort of an understatement..."

He squinted a bit. "Well, you're right, but as I said..." his voice broke mid-sentence, when he suddenly beat his wings a lot harder one time, and a split second later an arrow barely missed his left side and vanished from our sight with a menacing whizz. We both leaped to opposite sides as more projectiles darted our way.

"Are they crazy?!" Eugeo clenched a hand around his sirath underneath his shirt, completely pale.

"I don't think they recognized us..."

"You think we can be mistook for anything else from any distance or height?"

I winced, let myself fall a bit to the more dense part of the tree tops and carefully approached the opening above the clearing. "Stop that, it's us, Kirito and Eugeo!" I shouted when another arrow missed my wing by mere millimeters.

Agitated voices came from below and the assault stopped. We finally landed in the middle of the camp... which unfortunately didn't really look like a camp anymore. Some of the hovels were destroyed beyond repair, the clearing barricaded by a wreath of thick branches and trunks of fallen trees. The duskiness of the approaching evening was still dispersing in the last sun rays, but underneath the trees it was already deepening, gaining essence. The druids were armed with bows and daggers.

Archdruid Arakiel stepped forward from between them. "Please forgive us," he apologized hastily, "we didn't expect multiple winged creatures to come..."

"We're alright, so let's forget that," Eugeo interrupted him, clearly not wanting to waste time. "What is going on here?"

"Something has happened to the Guardian of the Forest, it seems he lost control... the animals went berserk, started attacking..."

"And where is Asuna?" I kept looking around.

The archdruid rose his head a little, as if he was expecting her to come all the time until now, then lowered his gaze to us again. "Wait... she did not come with you?"

"You mean she hasn't even shown up here?" I felt a slight panic creep up in my chest. "She left not even half an hour before us, we saw her above the forest not so long ago..."

"She didn't explain much to us... actually she forbade us to follow. Do you have any idea where she might be right now?"

The archdruid gave it a brief thought. "Well, I wrote her that something happened to the Guardian, so maybe she didn't want to waste time and flew straight to the waterfall..."

"Waterfall?"

"Yes, The Guardian's Waterfall is the place, from which Asuna always enters the Guardian's habitat. Noone but her managed to enter it until now, and she always said that sometimes it's impossible even for her."

"Why?"

The elder seemed to hesitate. "I shouldn't tell you about this... but this is an emergency and Asuna could desperately need help..." he sighed shortly, making a decision. "Very well. You need to go up the stream until you arrive at a low cliff with the waterfall. Above it lies a part of the forest elevated above the rest. I'm not really able to tell you much more, only Asuna knows exactly what needs to be done to cross the border."

"Well, that will have to be enough. Thank you and please be careful."

"You too."

We gave him a brief bow, jumped over the barricade around the clearing and set off up the stream, following the path discreetly marked among the greenery.

The moisture of recent rain evaporated from the leaves, filling the forest with a delicate mist. It deepened the shadows underneath the trees, even though clear sky could be seen above their crowns. It also deepened the anxiety in my heart as we walked in silence, listening to the barely perceptible murmurs scurrying through the shrubs on both sides off the brook. Sometimes they seemed to come from between the branches above our heads, sometimes even from within the trunks...

After what felt like a quarter we saw a tree on the opposite bank, broken and reaching towards our path with its crown. It wasn't withered though, the leaves still green above the water's surface, the stream flowing underneath it like under a natural gateway. Beyond that gate we noticed a clearing revealing itself further upstream. A dark cliff loomed between the trees, and a more intense rush of water reached our ears.

We left the shadow of the trees and approached the mid-sized waterfall, whose waters first fell onto a small, black-stone ledge, and then further into a small pond grooved by the force of the element. It seemed to me like each of the droplets either causing disturbance in the reservoir below, falling onto the surrounding stone or onto the moss covering it in some places, caused a different sound... I came to a stop right by the water curtain and looked up. There were not more than five meters separating us from the top of the cliff, but there was something else that almost immediately caught my attention. On the surface of one of the dark stones, only occasionally touched by the crystalline water, there was an inscription that at first resembled a fine netting of cracks and scratches...

"'Only if you are in need, only if you came to rescue heedless of your own life, only if you mean to do good, will the Flaming Protectors let you pass to my domain...'"

"Sorry?" Eugeo glanced at me, clearly confused as to why I was being poetic at such a ridiculous time.

"There's an inscription here."

He came closer and examined the letters with a gentle frown. "That doesn't really help... Flaming Protectors?" he craned his neck the way I did before. "Maybe we should check what's above us..."

I nodded and we leaped into the air. When we passed the level of the cliff's top, a peculiar but beautiful sight spread before us. The edge was thickly overgrown by some low plants, from which an occasional big flower in the color of fiery orange peeked out here and there. The thick layer reached a few meters deep into the forest behind the edge of the scarp. Some of the flowers leaned their calyxes out above the water cascades, as if looking for intruders. And from the lush green above our heads hung countless flimsy sprouts of something that resembled ivy and swung delicately, like in the rhythm of a breath... It somehow seemed weird to me, that this many flowers were able to grow and bloom so beautifully in this particular place. The growth should be limited, because the forest bed seemed to rarely see much sun, due to it being absorbed by the dense leaves above...

"You think these are the 'Protectors'?" I asked.

"I don't know. But I feel like I've seen such flowers somewhere before..." Eugeo lowered himself a bit to come closer to the cliff's edge. He extended his hand to one of the plants... and suddenly jumped away in what seemed to be panic. A split second later a large cloud of bright pollen shot out of the calyx, and, as if sensing their neighbor's reaction, the flowers surrounding it reacted the same way. The ivy above seemed to have received this impulse as well, as it started to move more noticeably, unnaturally, as if ready to catch anyone who dared to try flying above, beyond the reach of the Protectors. For some reason the sight made my skin crawl unpleasantly. Eugeo was saved only by the fact, that the sudden, strong beat of his wings caused a quite massive movement of air, sending the thick cloudlets in the opposite direction.

"That was the second time my sirath saved me today..." he said, rejoining me on my level.

"What? Why, these are just plants, and that there is just some pollen."

"Kirito, this is the Silivren forest, in here even the plants can have a killing intent, if you give them a reason... these particular ones are called narae, inhaling that would completely paralyze your lungs and make you suffocate within a few minutes... Supposedly some druids call it firedust and are able to collect it for healing purposes..."

I shoved the question about where he knows that from and the repulsion at the idea of dying in such a dreadful manner away for a moment to rise my eyebrows and ask: "Then how in the world did Asuna get in there?"

"How should I know? You can say that something is impossible, and she will do it anyway, you know that..."

Despite the seriousness of the situation, I wasn't able to hold back a little smile. We landed back at the base of the waterfall and started to carefully inspect the steep walls of stone and their surroundings. Unfortunately, we didn't find any additional clues nor unnatural ledges or cavities suggesting, that there might be another way up.

I flicked my wings in growing irritation. Some little spark of understanding was glowing somewhere deep in my subconsciousness, but I wasn't able to catch it and fan it into a proper flame.

"This inscription..." I muttered, more to myself than to anyone in particular, "doesn't it sound like the 'Protectors' are supposed to be harmless if we meet certain conditions? Like we are supposed to let ourselves get attacked, to prove that... geez, what am I even saying..." I stopped short, my breath halting too. Suddenly that spark glowed brighter with the touch of a premonition. I looked at Eugeo, some strange shiver coming up my spine.

He caught what I was thinking about almost immediately. "No..." he whined. "It can't mean that!"

"But that's the only thing that makes sense."

"Even if it means risking your life?"

"Eugeo, avoiding danger despite seeing a chance of success is not cautiousness... it's cowardice."

"It's not when there are two lives at stake, from which the third life could depend on!"

"Exactly, someone's life could depend on us, that's why I will not waste my time to hesitate, all the more because it's Asuna's life we're talking about."

"You're crazy..."

"Unlike you or what?"

Eugeo sighed heavily, like someone who's run out of arguments. "Fine..." he capitulated. "But I will try it first."

"No. If we do that, we will show that we are afraid, that the life of one of us is more important than Asuna's."

He gave me a resigned look and ascended again. I followed. "It will work, you'll see," I tried to assure him with a confidence that I wasn't really feeling.

"If not... I won't give you a moment's peace on the other side, keep that in mind."

I smiled bitterly and looked at the expanse of deadly flowers before us. I was getting chills just thinking about what we were about to do, but I didn't want to back away now. I gave Eugeo one last glance and he nodded, more confidently now.

I took one last, deep breath and dashed towards the cliff's edge. Eugeo did the same. The moment we passed the first plants, their flowers shot cloudlets of fiery pollen at us again. I tried to fight the urge to hold my breath and immediately felt a horrifying weakness come over me, as if first the muscles in my chest, and then all others one after the other, suddenly slacked and refused to obey me any further. And when the wind caught my wings, instead of it working the other way around, which seemed totally wrong, my mind was flooded with darkness and a moment later I didn't feel anything anymore...

* * *

_**„Impossible is only  
** _

_**what didn't come to life in your mind yet..."** _


	25. The Mask of Innocence

The first thing I saw was trick grass, waving lazily among the darkness of the forest. There was a faint, shimmering mist wafting between the trees, muffling the undergrowth delicately.

I tried to get up, but immediately let a silent hiss escape my lips and fell back. Something was holding one of my wings in place in a rather uncomfortable way... I turned around as best as the pain allowed me to and saw Eugeo, lying right behind my back.

"Eugeo..." I managed to whine, trying not to move too much to avoid making things worse. "Eugeo, wake up will you...!"

Finally he stirred and opened his eyes after a few seconds. "Kirito...?"

"Congratulations, you guessed right, but please get off, I almost can't fell my wing anymore..."

He hastily got up and helped me to my feet, apologizing all the way. "I think it worked..." he then said, looking around. There was no sign of the waterfall, the brook, or the cliff.

"Or this is what the afterlife looks like... with all this mist you could feel like you're soaring above the clouds..."

"Well then try not to fly away too far. Come on, let's try to find Asuna."

We set off, cautious with every step. I briefly looked up. The tree tops formed what seemed to be an impenetrable ceiling of massive branches and a thicket of leaves. We couldn't even dream of flying above to make our search easier, and the space beneath seemed much darker than a forest should be, when there were still remnants of day flickering in the sky. The leaves and needles seemed to be more gray here than they were in the Silivren Forest I knew until now, like they were shrouded in some kind of shadow that touched only them alone... The curiosity that this place sparked within me at first slowly started to turn into mistrust, then to something akin to fear... Something in this part of the forest was different, even more mysterious than usual. There was a presence palpable in this mist around us, despite absolutely no one being in sight.

We just continued onward, listening to the speech of the trees. Sometimes I had the feeling, that the wind's whisper was guiding us through the semi-darkness and the shrubs. We weren't very eager to call Asuna, not knowing what was lurking in the shadows, and we didn't feel like drawing attention. She was nowhere to be seen, but in her case that didn't really have to mean anything.

Suddenly Eugeo stopped and I noticed what caught his attention even before I could open my mouth to ask a question. There was something small glistening among the moist grass, alive in the slight breeze. He crouched and picked up a fine chainlet, its end wrapped under the widening of a tiny crystal flacon's neck. The remnants of some bluish liquid swayed at the bottom of it.

"What's that?" I asked, watching the unusual find. Upon closer examination I noticed that the liquid didn't quite seem to be a liquid. Its color had a few undertones here and there, which created the impression that it was a very dense mist trapped within the crystal.

"Hard to say..." Eugeo carefully opened the vessel and sniffed the contents even more cautiously. "I have no idea."

"Let's take it with us. Maybe it's something that Asuna dropped or maybe... it has something to do with the Guardian."

Eugeo put the flacon into his pocket and took another step into the depths of the forest, when a noise came from the brush a few meters further to our left... We turned to face the sound, but saw nothing. I felt my wings twitch nervously, as I took that one step back again to put my back to Eugeo's, looking around and doubling my guard. He did the same. It was then that I noticed the lack of a weight at my waist to my left. My dagger was gone. I scanned the ground in the foolish hope that I dropped it somewhere nearby, but it was far too late for that, as well as for the thought that Lisbeth will probably kill me if she learns that I lost it so easily.

We expected some kind of danger, but definitely not in the way that it came.

Suddenly the air around us sparkled blinding gold and the next second we were surrounded by a wreath of enormous flames almost two meters high. We reflexively pressed our backs to eachother, wanting to back away, but there was nowhere to flee. We started to search for an opening in the sinisterly growling fire, but to no avail. And then a familiar sound reached our ears.

One small, cheerful jingle, almost lightening up the gloom of the forest in a different way than the flames did...

"Asuna stop it!" I yelled, shielding my eyes from the brightness of the fire. "It's us!"

The flames disappeared like they've never been there in the first place, leaving the undergrowth perfectly untouched. The brushes to my right moved and Asuna emerged from the greenery.

"Are you two insane?!" the greeting was angry but drenched in worry at the same time. "I told you not to follow me!" Her clothing was a little torn here and there and a long scratch marked the flawless skin of her neck. There were also a few leaves entangled in her hair.

"We wanted to help..." I started explaining, but she cut me off.

"How do you want to help me? How am I supposed to rely on you, when you can't even listen to a simple request? You can feel lucky that I'm the first creature you've come across in here!"

"If it is as dangerous as you claim," Eugeo didn't seem to want to owe any questions, "then what are you doing here? Alone, no less?"

"I'm trying to save the forest..."

"In this state?"

Asuna fell silent, frowning a little. Eugeo sighed. "Look, you don't need to be a clairvoyant to see that you are wounded." I raised my eyebrows, looking at Asuna cautiously. To me, Eugeo must have been a clairvoyant. And he continued calmly: "And you still don't want us to help? You want to risk your life further?"

There was something akin to rising anger in Asuna's eyes, but it didn't burst out. Probably due to a shadow of indecision dulling it. Eugeo faced this stare with admirable composure. "I admit that Kirito and me haven't developed our abilities as well as you yet, but if something happened to you, Sharish would crush us in less than a week, did you think about that? You ask how you're supposed to rely on us, but how are we supposed to rely on you, when you try to do everything alone and don't accept us as your support? Because that's what we are supposed to be as friends, aren't we? If we abandon you in time of peace, will you later be able to trust us on the battlefield? And what's most important... would you be able to sit still if you knew, that your friend is exposing himself to maybe mortal danger?"

Asuna closed her eyes and let out a silent, soft sigh. "I wouldn't... I'm sorry, I got carried away..."

Eugeo's expression became more gentle. "If you don't take yourself into consideration while saving someone, you won't be able to save anyone. If you won't be able to both say 'thank goodness' at the end, then no one has really been saved..."

A sad smile found a way to Asuna's lips, and she looked me in the eyes. "See, that's what I meant when I said that even I need a reprimand sometimes..."

"Didn't you also say that I should give anything that I'm unable to carry to you?" I said conciliatorily. "Why not let it work the other way as well?"

Her smile deepened a bit and Eugeo approached her and delicately put a hand on her shoulder. "We're already here, so just let us help, please... Is it something serious?"

Asuna shook her head, carefully reaching to her right side. "It's not even bleeding anymore..."

"But who did that to you?"

"One of the stags... I didn't want to hurt it, that's why I ended up like this. All animals are so confused, they treat everyone as their enemies. They sense that something has happened to the Guardian, but I just can't find him..."

"Could all of that have something to do with this?" Eugeo took the tiny flacon out of his pocket again.

"What's that?"

"I'm not sure, we just found it here, and well, if you don't recognize it..."

Asuna took the vial carefully and opened it. The way she frowned after a brief examination suggested, that she was already suspecting something. "It's poison..." she said quietly. "It's hirva, a poison made from plants that grow only in the mountains in the west. They can't be found here... I think I understand now."

"I don't," I complained. "Are you trying to say that someone has poisoned the Guardian?"

"That's very likely, but why? And even if someone did have a reason, then if they knew how to get in here, they must also have known that they wouldn't be able to kill the Guardian that way and that he will recover after some time. Besides, every druid is able to neutralize such poison, so what's the sense in that...?"

"Well, at least it would explain this whole situation."

"Yeah... come on, let's try to find him. This place isn't as big as it seems to be."

"Can you manage?" Eugeo still seemed concerned.

"She had enough strength to almost burn us alive, so I think she can," I didn't get to put a smile at the end of that sentence because of a smack on the back of my head from a graceful, but firm hand.

We continued deeper into the forest, still on guard and cautious. We were just hacking through some scrubs when a question came up in my mind, that should have been asked far earlier. "You know, I just realized that I don't really know what I'm looking for... what does this Guardian even look like?"

"Oh, you might not be able to see him."

"Sorry?"

"I'm not joking, it could happen. He is able to take on many forms, sometimes he's a lynx, sometimes an enormous tree, and sometimes a little bug that just settled down on your shirt."

I glanced to my shoulder and raised my eyebrows upon seeing a tiny beetle, moving its feelers curiously.

"That's not him, don't worry."

"Funny as ever..."

Suddenly all three of us abruptly stopped, when a strange, unclear noise spread among the trees, muffled by the thicket. It reminded me of a stag's bell, but that wasn't it. I've never heard something like that before.

"He's close," Asuna whispered, when the sound unexpectedly died out. She pressed forward with even more determination.

Soon the terrain started to dip and we saw a rather spacious, shallow depression, a clearing. At the border of it stood a mid-sized yew, spreading its branches towards the middle of the free space. It caught my attention among the dozens of other, similar trees because its bark seemed to be shrouded in a hazy, bluish glow and there were countless fresh, green needles lying around it, as if the tree lost many of them in a very short time due to some disease. It even looked like it was barely standing on its own.

"It's him..." I heard Asuna's whisper again and she came out into the clearing, approaching the tree.

"Are you sure this is safe?" I asked, following her watchfully.

"As long as you two are nearby, it is."

Eugeo just shook his head slightly. Meanwhile Asuna reached out and touched the trunk of the yew. She closed her eyes and stayed like this for a few moments, as if listening, and sometimes whispering something almost inaudibly. I wasn't really sure if she was talking to herself or to the tree. Finally she frowned and started to circle the trunk, examining its base. She kneeled down on the other side of it, so we followed her.

There was a rather big cut in the bark not very high above the ground, like from a single strike of an ax or maybe a big sword. Greenish, unhealthy looking resin was slowly seeping out of the wound.

"What happened...?" I asked, for some reason feeling an unpleasant sting in my chest upon seeing the beautiful tree in such a state.

"I don't know, he says, that he was alone the whole time, he has no idea how it came to this..."

I blinked. "Wait, you can _talk_ to it?"

Asuna gave me a quiet giggle. "Yes, we communicate with our thoughts."

"I don't think I want to know more..."

"Well then, it's time to put an end to this chaos." Asuna ran her fingers down the trunk a little, stopped her hand right above the wound and pressed it more firmly to the bark. She closed her eyes. A few twisted words in the language of druids fell from her pale lips and her palm started to get surrounded by a faint shimmer, resembling the color of the found flacon's contents...

... and suddenly the forest around us brightened, the mist dispersed, taking the strange atmosphere of tension and hostility with it. Warmth and tranquility spread across the forest anew, like delicate ripples on water from a spot where someone's thrown a tiny stone in. Asuna smiled and retreated her hand. I wanted to ask something, when the tree suddenly moved its twigs a little, a faint rustle came from the upmost branches, and then... it disappeared. Leaving me gaping stupidly.

"What..."

Asuna laughed shortly. "Don't worry, he's still close," she looked over her shoulder, and we both followed her eyes.

In the center of the clearing stood a tremendous elk with a branchy antler, watching us with a gaze that was imperious but friendly and tired at the same time. Almost palpable strength emanated from it, along with a pleasant, gentle aura that awoke respect and affection in my heart. "Is that the Guardian?" I whispered.

"Yes," Asuna stood up from her kneeling position. "Come with me, I'll introduce you."

We approached the elk and it leaned its head down towards her. Asuna stroked the massive neck lovingly and allowed an affectionate lick to her cheek. When the Guardian turned his intelligent eyes to me and Eugeo, she just looked at him for a moment, as if listening to something again. "He wants to thank you for your help in saving the forest," she finally said. "And I want to thank you as well... with all my heart."

"We didn't really do much to be honest... are you really talking to him though?" I couldn't hold back.

"Yes, you unbeliever."

"And he really doesn't remember anyone being here?" Eugeo asked.

Asuna shook her head slightly. "There just suddenly was this," she pointed to the elk's rear left leg, where a cut could be seen, just below the powerful muscle of the thigh. It was neither deep nor long, but must have been enough with the use of poison.

"It's strange..." I trailed off, suddenly noticing something behind the massive animal. "What's that?" I asked, pointing to something that stuck out from the ground and looked like the remnants of a man-made well.

Asuna glanced in its direction. "Ah, this... that's the Well of Spirits, the most important thing the Guardian is protecting. The souls of all creatures that end their days in this forest come here. For us it's just a normal well, but the water in it supposedly has some special properties and the spirits quench their thirst here while they stay in the Guardian's domain. When their minds have calmed down and they accept their fate, they disappear. Some, who aren't able to cope with it, stay at the bottom of the well, sleeping, some are reborn in other creatures, and some become spirits, who protect the forest."

"I don't think anything else can surprise me today..." Eugeo sighed weakly.

"Then let's go back and rest a bit..." Asuna stroked the Guardian's neck again. "And let him rest too."

"But how do we get out of here?"

"Oh, that's simple. Put your hands to his side, or his back, doesn't matter which. Don't be afraid."

I looked at Eugeo hesitantly, he answered with an equally unsure glance. Finally, I took a step forward and raised my hand. He followed my example. As soon as my fingertips brushed the soft pelage, I felt some strange, probably magic impulse run through them to the rest of my body. Out of reflex I closed my eyes, sucking in a short breath, and when I opened them again... the Guardian was gone.

I blinked and looked around. Eugeo was still standing by my side with a similarly flabbergasted expression as the one I must have been wearing, and Asuna was smiling at us from the other side of the creek. We were back at the waterfall, and the forest, in which darkness already started to waft around, regained its warm, friendly feel. Its calmness cleansed the soul again, the last still awake birds called from above, as if wanting everyone to know that the danger has passed. I also felt the familiar weight of a weapon at my side again. I realized I should have known where it went from the very start. No harming intent was to be brought into that sacred place...

I didn't even ask anymore. I already saw enough to know, that anything was possible in this forest.

We returned to the camp, where the exhilarated druids were already waiting and started to cheer as soon as they noticed us between the trees. They wanted to snatch Asuna and throw her into the air in joy, but before she could protest herself, Eugeo stepped in saying that her wound needed to be tended to first.

The atmosphere became a bit disorganized when some of the druids rushed to get bandages, others decided to prepare the evening meal, and the rest started to take care of the overall chaos, that came into being in the camp that day. I was just about to offer my help, when I heard a noise from the opposite border of the clearing. A rustle, or maybe the sound of a twig snapping underneath a heel... or maybe both. I had no idea why something that simple stirred something unpleasantly in my mind. I turned around. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Asuna and Eugeo doing the same, as if sharing some instinct with me.

There, in the shadow of the lush tree branches, leaning its back against one of the trunks stood a tall figure of a man. A skinny man with long, black hair, clad in a deep-amethyst robe, trimmed with silver thread... For some reason Asuna paled more than Eugeo did when I told him we have to attempt suicide.

"You..." she whispered, before her voice shot through the calmness of the forest like a short, sharp thunder. "What are you doing here?!"

It drew the attention of the other druids, who also turned towards the stranger. Some of them immediately raised their bows.

The man just smiled kindly, visibly pleased with himself and with the effect his appearance brought upon our minds. "Oh, I traveled such a long way to see you, aren't you happy?" he asked, his tone completely carefree. There was something in it that ignited a fair amount of irritation within me.

"Why would I be happy about a visit from _you_?!"

There was a short silence, which Eugeo used to whisper, never turning his eyes away from the stranger: "Who is this?"

"This man..." every word seemed hard for Asuna to get out. It felt like even the forest was responding to her emotions. The trees whispered a little louder, the brushes and blades of grass moved, as if wanting to convey that they are ready to fight by her side. When she lifted her head after a few deep breaths, her eyes were burning with hazel fire. "This man is Sharish Caydranth..."

"What?!" that scream escaped my lips before I could think about it. "That is...?"

"Yes, dear Kirito, it's me," the man's voice dripped with cordiality, but I was getting chills from it. He looked up and watched the leaves rustling above his head for a moment. "I see you've managed to cure the Guardian. Well, I wasn't expecting anything else from you, to be honest."

"Don't tell me you poisoned him... and you still dare to show your face here?!"

"I'm almost sorry. But I didn't intend to kill him, believe me. I just wanted to draw your attention away from this," Sharish reached to his pocket and pulled out a pendant on a rather thin, worn leather band. It had the shape of a small tree made of brass, darkened with age, its tiny leaves glistening with green enamel. When Asuna just moved her lips a little, with no sound coming from them, he laughed. "It was so easy," he said, as if reading the unspoken question from her eyes. "Don't blame your enemy for your own mistakes. You were only chasing a shadow, which was supposed to divert your attention from what was casting it. And you gave the amulet such a weak protection..."

He snapped his fingers and another, kneeling figure appeared at his side. It was a girl, probably a little younger than Asuna, her hands bound behind her back.

"Ronye!" Asuna shouted, this time with genuine terror sounding in her voice.

"Yes, it was her who snuck into the Guardian's domain. I just told her, that by doing what I wanted she would save both her life and yours, and she was able to slip inside..."

"You monster..."

I made a step forward. "I've heard enough from you..." I said, eyeing him with disgust. "What do you want from Asuna?"

"Oh, it's not just about her, dear Kirito," he answered my challenging stare with a completely calm of his own. "It's about all three of you. I just wanted to offer the return of the amulet in exchange for an alliance... a second chance."

"A second chance?" Asuna seemed to have regained her composure again. "It's like I would give you a second arrow because you missed me the first time. I would rather die than join you..."

"Please, why kill such a gorgeous creature? Wouldn't it be easier to join forces and cleanse this world of any races, which don't deserve to walk upon it? You are but a shadow of the previous, magnificent era, but together we could bring dragons back and restore Earlindon to what it was before the last of them died..."

"Stop living in illusions, you know far too well that it's not possible. This land needs every race to keep its balance, even the humans, and your fantasy of a world conquered by magical beings only is completely unrealistic."

"Oh, I could argue with that, I'm already making progress in my strive towards it..."

"What progress?"

"You don't expect me to reveal anything when you insist to oppose me, do you? You should think about it, all three of you. Let's form an alliance and I shall show you a marvelous perspective of a new, beautiful world. I'll give you some time to consider. Until then... farewell."

He whispered a few more words and... disappeared. Just vanished into thin air.

We all looked in total silence at the place where he's been standing, and where we could only see trees, shrubs, and evening shadows now... If it weren't for the general bewilderment, one could think that the successor of the Caydranth lineage was just a hallucination from a deep dream.

The first to shake herself free was Asuna. She ran up to the girl, whom Sharish left at the border of the clearing and quickly freed her from her bonds. "Are you alright?" she asked quietly, helping her up.

"Yes..." the girl answered, wiping her eyes with a delicate hand.

It was then that I noticed a few strange features in her appearance. Instead of normal, human ears, this creature had big, cat-like ones, covered with black fur. I didn't notice them at first, because she had them down in fear, almost hidden within the dark cedar-brown of her hair. Scared, beautiful sapphire eyes looked up at Asuna from underneath the fringe and a fluffy tail with a black apex hung behind her back. She was just a little shorter than me.

Asuna hugged the girl reassuringly, while the younger one murmured teary words of apology into her shirt. "It's alright..." Asuna kept whispering, despite looking almost broken herself. "Don't worry about it..."

"Asuna..." Eugeo started in the most gentle tone I've ever heard from him, approaching the two girls.

"Please, don't ask..." Asuna interrupted, contrition already sounding in her voice. "I will explain everything at once..."

"You should rest first, that's more important..."

His ever warm kindness elicited a sad smile from her. "Just a little... I owe you a few answers, that should not have waited such a long time..."

* * *

„ _If people used their Heart_

_To decide quite simply what's right and what isn't..."_


	26. Chapter 26

First stars showed themselves in the sky. In the camp, the druids were already piling up wood for a bonfire. Sadly, some of the branches were parts of their homes... Asuna tended to her wounds in the meantime, allowing one of her kin to help, and took care of the girl who got battered by Sharish as well.

Deep darkness enveloped the forest already, when all preparations were done. The warm night smelled of resin, with only a delicate cool coming from the stream, that hid within the soft shadows. Everyone assembled at the fire for the evening meal, but it wasn't a cheerful gathering. Asuna sat on the grass opposite from me and Eugeo, a basket of fruit lying between us. The younger girl stayed close by her side, a little behind.

First, Asuna took a wooden jug with a handle shaped like a snake with the head of a dragon, and poured some water into four cups, as if wanting to gain some time to gather her thoughts and find the proper words to start the conversation. She sighed almost inaudibly, but in such a forlorn manner, that I decided to help a little.

"Could you maybe... introduce us?" I asked, looking at the fascinating creature sitting at her right.

Asuna smiled sadly. "This is Ronye," she moved back a tiny bit to be on the same level as the younger girl and gently put a hand on her head. The dark cat ears twitched slightly. "You already know about hybrids and that some of them live in this forest... Ronye is one of them. She's a sykerien, a mix of human and a black-ridged lynx. They usually live in quite big groups, but Ronye lost her mother very early and she got rejected by the rest of the tribe for some reason. I found her when she was still very little and raised her."

Ronye leaned closer to rest her head on Asuna's shoulder, and the older girl started to stroke one of the fluffy ears delicately. I suddenly had to fight the urge to ask if I could do the same.

"So..." it was Eugeo who spoke up this time, "tell us, where did you have a brush with Sharish before? Does it have something to do with this strange amulet?"

"Yes... say... do you know the legends about me, that cruise around Earlindon?"

"Yes but... I thought they are just silly legends."

Asuna smiled delicately, looking into the fire. There were warm sparks reflecting in her eyes that didn't match the sadness, that surfaced from their depths. "Not entirely... in this case truth and legend went their own paths along the years... and so many versions of this story emerged, that even I get confused sometimes..." she took a deep breath. "Unfortunately, the very core of all of them is more or less true."

"Wait... so you're..." I stammered.

"I _was_... as some say, 'The Empress of Life on Earth'..."

There was a sudden hush in the camp. Some of the druids sitting on the other side of the bonfire hung their heads, some of them murmured something between themselves, as if they were hearing about this for the first time.

"So that amulet, that Sharish took with him..."

"Oh, so you heard about Ilmer's Amulet as well?"

"Hang on," I interrupted. "If that legend is true, then why didn't my sirath react when Eugeo told me, that it isn't?"

Asuna looked me in the eyes curiously and seemed to need to give it a brief thought herself. "I suppose it was because Eugeo had no idea, that he was lying. He was convinced, that he is telling the truth. But a lie doesn't turn into truth just because a lot of people believe in it..."

"I see..."

Asuna sighed once more. "Well... there are some events that should not be summoned from the darkness of the past, but I owe you the rectification of all these legends...

It started roughly eighteen years ago. Not far away from here, in the Serelath Valley, stood the very first city of Earlindon, and the biggest one in the country at the time - Ilmer. It was the time when elves were almost gone already, and druids were still dispersed across the whole land. It was an enormous city, said to be the most beautiful any traveler has ever laid eyes upon. But a few difficult years came... the summers were becoming cruel to the land... There was hardly any water, nothing to keep the crops alive. The city started to fade away... It was then that the humans came up with this crazy idea.

They wanted to tame the forces of Nature, bend them to their will to save the city. They asked the druids for help. The druids however, holding on to common sense, imposed a condition: those powers would have to be passed to one person only, someone whom everyone would trust. That one condition forced the ugliest side of humans to surface - greed and longing for power. Of course, there were some who didn't mind agreeing to anything for the sake of common good, but they were shouted down by those, who hoped to get those powers for themselves. The druids managed to solve this problem as well though. They decided to transfer this power to the most trustworthy and innocent being they knew - a child.

My mother was one of the last elves living in the open, and my father was a druid, who left the forest and lived with her in Ilmer. It seemed perfect... because who could tame such magic better than the child of an elf and a druid, even if it was just two years old? My parents didn't even want to hear about it at first, but the future of the whole city and of a few surrounding villages were at stake... and the druids wanted to help teaching me what I needed to know to not be endangered by these powers and to not ever be tempted to use them in the wrong way. And so, my parents gave in and the cursed ritual was prepared... but they all didn't consider one thing.

They ignored the old elven scriptures, and even those of human mages, which told about a few failed attempts to gain such power. No one has ever survived this kind of experiment. They thought that if they would try to bestow this magic upon someone else, not themselves, then everything would be fine. That was the last mistake they made in their lives... Instead of joy, the ritual brought complete destruction. None survived but me and one single druid..."

Asuna made a pause in this shocking story to sigh once again. "I know I should probably cry now but... to be honest, I find it hard to do so, as inhumane as it may sound... I don't remember any of those people, I don't even remember the faces of my own parents. They were just tragic victims of one of the thousands of mankind's mistakes..."

I didn't know what I could say. I glanced at Eugeo. The shadows cast by the fire sharpened his profile, he seemed just as speechless as me, but somewhere deep inside his eyes was a shadow of compassion and a fainter one, of silent understanding.

Asuna picked up a little twig lying next to her in the grass and moved the embers at the edge of the bonfire a little. Golden sparks arose from the flames and flew up towards the constellation of the Dawn's Corsair, which hung right above the camp now. It seemed like its brightest star - Cerdes, was pulling the ship made of silver dots behind it, hurrying to brighten the night over other parts of Earlindon as well.

"Besides," Asuna brought me back to the moment again, "I'm grateful that fate spared me and I gained a new, wonderful life. The druid who survived back then was none other than master Arakiel. He didn't waste time to muse, took me with him and came here. There were only five druids living in the camp at that time, separated from all others, and I was raised among them, like a normal girl. But after some time it turned out, that despite such a tragedy having occurred in Ilmer... the ritual was a success. At first my childish moods influenced the weather, later I started to play with the elements at will, I even resurrected small animals that I was finding in the forest... I heard later that I didn't seem to be really aware of the significance of my actions during the first few months. It seemed totally natural to me. Thanks to the teachings I received though, I gained respect for these powers and with time used them strictly within the boundaries of common sense and only if it was necessary. Then, almost three years ago my wings suddenly appeared... I'm still not sure why it happened this much earlier than the awakening of you two. Maybe one magic stimulated another... Still, our life here was peaceful, no one knew about my abilities and no one disturbed us... until suddenly various inhabitants of Earlindon started to appear in the Silivren Forest.

They came from all directions possible to ask for my help. We assumed they heard about me from a druid, who left our camp a few years ago. They asked for many things, greater crops, changing the weather at sea, better catches... I couldn't just turn the people down after they've come such a long way, but I still didn't satisfy every wish, even if it was in my power to do so. I tried to teach them that some of the things in nature have to keep their natural flow to remain in balance... Even so, the rumors about me soon spread across the whole kingdom and gave rise to all those legends, the true ones and the ones which human imagination helped with. And this must have been what caught Sharish's interest.

He came here one day like every other 'pilgrim' and asked for something, as for that time, unusual. He claimed that an epidemic broke out in his hometown and no one was able to stop it. I didn't know him and he gave me a false name, so I didn't have a reason not to trust him and refuse to help. I agreed to accompany him to Shinestone, a city beyond the mountains in the west, to examine the disease and help the people. He seemed utterly innocent during the few days of our journey to the Ethir Mountains... it was only at its end, that I learned his conscience was clear because it was unused...

He offered me a stay in Shinestone Keep, a castle situated among the peaks of the range. It was named after the city because it's the only place on ground level the keep can be seen from. He gave me a cozy room to spend the night in... which turned out to be coated by at least a dozen of spells. Only then he showed the courtesy to reveal who he really was and what he really wanted from me. The only magic I was able to use in that chamber was that, which he himself allowed me... and he wanted me to use only one single spell. He demanded the transfer of my powers to him... he demanded from me to perform the very same ritual that destroyed my birthplace so long ago...

At first I thought it would be better to just starve myself there. But after some time another thought came to life... If I was almost certain to die anyway, by Sharish's hand or because of the ritual, why not take him with me? I would spare other people so much pain and trouble, especially the other two Disciples... and Sharish didn't seem aware of the danger he was exposing himself to... Which was why I started the preparations for the ritual regardless. I purposefully dragged it out to try to find a way of escaping death at the end of it. I didn't succeed, but instead found a way of modifying the spell so that it would be just as destructive, but wouldn't transfer my powers to anyone, should someone actually survive the ritual.

Another curious thing about my cozy prison was... that I could hear what was happening in some of the other parts of the keep sometimes. I heard how Sharish commanded Chrysheight to correct his mistake, assassinate the king and bring you to the fortress," Asuna looked me in the eyes. "Yes, I knew Chrysheight in a sense, even though we never actually saw each other before his appearance at the Apries Lake. After that, when Chrysheight reported that you escaped from the castle somehow, I heard Sharish's conversation with another man. He sounded rather young, and from the way Sharish addressed him, he must have been his brother. Sharish sent him on a search for Eugeo..."

I felt my friend twitch nervously next to me.

"Didn't you ever meet anyone who would try to gain you over?" Asuna asked him.

Eugeo seemed to hesitate. "No... I thought the only henchman of Sharish who crossed my path was Chrysheight..."

"Thank goodness... although I could swear I've heard that second man's voice somewhere else too, just like Chrysheight's... I could be wrong though and it could mean, that this encounter still lies before us."

"It might..."

"Moving forward though... when I wasn't able to stall any further and the day of performing the ritual finally came, I was honestly praying for the occurrence from eighteen years ago to repeat itself. I wanted them to vanish and wanted to survive myself in order to meet the ones who escaped Sharish's claws as well - my two companions, and tell them they don't have to worry about him anymore... I succeeded only partially. Through some miracle I managed to escape death a second time, but so did Sharish. I think Chrysheight and the other man weren't even in the keep at that time... The whole stronghold turned to a ruin, burying the few guards and servants beneath it. I didn't think much about it. I left Sharish, half-alive, among the chaos and fled, even though the ritual broke one or two of my bones... I flew back to Silivren Forest... Here master Arakiel decided to pass my sirath to me, which he was keeping safe for all those years, waiting for the time when I would need it. It turned out to have a quite useful power - it sped up the healing process of my wounds. I was always kind of amazed by how both of you held the reins of your curiosity about the noise accompanying my movement all this time, even though both of you surely noticed," she shot me an amused look. "Especially you seemed to be itching to find out."

While I was busy blushing, Asuna undid the first button of her shirt and took out the sirath, hanging on a leather band just like mine an Eugeo's. It wasn't different in shape, it was just a little smaller, but it wasn't anything close to a ruby like I expected. It was a beautiful amber, split in two pieces, which emitted a sound reminding me more of metal than stone, when they met each other...

"Master Arakiel told me that it was damaged during the first ritual in Ilmer, but thankfully it didn't lose its powers because of that. Nor did it lose any of its charm," she added half-jokingly.

I had to agree with her. The two fragments reminded me of the lucent resin of Silivren Forest's trees, like two droplets of sunlight crystallized in Asuna's hand, harmonizing beautifully with her hair and eyes. When she was putting the stones back beneath her neckline, my eyes involuntarily slipped down where they shouldn't have... but before I could give myself a mental slap for that, I noticed a scar just below her collarbone, disappearing somewhere further, in the shadow of the fabric... I started to wonder what this ritual actually looked like and how people died from it. When my imagination started creating bloody shambles resembling battlefields however, I quickly gave up. Instead, I focused on Asuna's words again.

"After all these events I finally realized, that the power I possessed was way too dangerous to be wielded by anyone, even a druid and Disciple. I had no idea how to dispel the magic, so I created that amulet - Ilmer's Amulet, named after the place where this magic first crystallized in mortal hands, and sealed my power in it. I hid it in a crack of the Well of Spirits' inner wall, right below the water's surface. The occasionally rising water hid it even better sometimes... It might have also been a subconscious, pathetic attempt to damage it in the hope it would someday just shatter to pieces in there..." Asuna smiled bitterly. "Anyway, as soon as I got rid of it, I used my ability to fly to visit the biggest cities in Earlindon to twist all those legends about me even more, hidden beneath a wanderer's cloak, trying to make people lose interest in coming to the forest ever again. A few months later Eugeo appeared here for the first time, and shortly after you both came once more... the rest of the story is not a mystery to you."

An uncomfortable silence fell underneath the sparkling Corsair. A few long moments passed, before Eugeo broke it. "So Sharish holds the power over life on earth in his hands now?" he asked hesitantly. "And there isn't much we can do?"

Asuna looked him in the eyes and smiled slightly. "Do you really think I lack creativity that much? It's not easy to obtain the powers hidden within the amulet. In order to break the seal... I need to lose my life first."

I shuddered involuntarily. "Hang on..." I tried to drive the chill away with my voice. "So you sealed it in a way that won't allow you to access these powers ever again?"

"Theoretically, yes... but even if Sharish would have found out how to remove the seal, first he would have to steal the amulet from me."

I made a bit of a wry face. She seemed to be a little delirious already from all the tiredness and emotions coming up. "Asuna..." I tried my best not to offend her in any way, "but he just _stole_ it..."

To the utter bewilderment of everyone gathered, she gave me an amused look. "Oh you really do underestimate me..." completely calmly, she reached under her shirt again and pulled out... the Ilmer's Amulet. The very same one Sharish just took with him.

A few surprised gasps came from the group of druids, and my mouth just fell open. Eugeo must have looked equally stupid, because Asuna wasn't able to keep it in anymore. Despite the gravity of the situation and the whole atmosphere of the evening, she just burst out laughing. She even had tears in the corners of her eyes when the pain in her side finally forced her to stop giggling.

"I'm sorry..." she coughed up finally, wiping her eyes and trying to breathe. "Maybe it wasn't the best idea to strike you with it out of the blue like that..."

"But... but how..." that was all that Eugeo managed to get out.

"Well, it's the forest where a leaf can be hidden the easiest, isn't it? And if there is no forest, you have to grow one. The seal and the concealment in the Well of Spirits weren't enough for me as a protection for something that powerful. Which is why, after some time, I took it out and made a copy, identical in appearance, but completely useless, just with a little trace of magic that would fool someone unknowing. I hid the fake within the well, and Ronye carried the real one with her at all times. That's why I got so scared when Sharish revealed that he captured her, I thought he saw through this trick... But it turned out Ronye just coincidentally run into his hands by the waterfall, when she was trying to do something about the Guardian."

"But... wasn't it a bit reckless to entrust something like that to a little girl and let her run around the whole forest with it?"

That question earned me an annoyed twitch of two cat ears, accompanied by two puffed out cheeks, clearly telling me: 'I'm not a little irresponsible child!' Still, I felt more like poking them rather than feel threatened.

"As you can see, it was not," Asuna ended the silent quarrel, turning the amulet between her fingers. "Sometimes the best way to hide something is to not hide it at all. People are so used to conjuring up the most complicated methods, that they don't even consider the most simple ones anymore. You just need to follow their train of thought sometimes."

"Right..." I couldn't help but smile a little.

"Coming back to Sharish though... I wonder what he actually came up with now. He made progress towards bringing dragons back to life? Just how?"

"Maybe he actually did find some way. Magic is unpredictable, from what we just heard from you... Despite everything, he seemed to be someone rather rational."

"Yeah, it's just that he was talking stupid... Believe me Kirito, maybe I was able to resurrect a mouse or a rabbit in the past, when not too much time has passed since their death, but powerful magic beings extinct for decades are a different matter. But Sharish probably won't back away and will make it into the stupidity of the century somehow..."

For some reason I wasn't really in the mood to laugh at that. And Eugeo deemed this moment right to end the tiring day. "I think we will have time to ponder over all of this later. You should finally rest, you need it..."

The forest rustled gently above our heads, as if backing him up. "We all should," Asuna agreed. "But I wanted to apologize for not telling you about all of this earlier first. It's so crazy I was afraid you wouldn't believe... besides, I don't think it would have changed or prevented anything from happening..."

"Asuna please," I interrupted her with a smile. "Don't justify yourself. Friends don't need it, and enemies won't believe you anyway."

I was rewarded with a short, grateful laugh. "Thank you," Asuna carefully stood up and brushed off the needles from her trousers. "You should rest too. Goodnight." With that she gave Ronye a gentle kiss on the forehead and made her way to her little hovel, one of the few that survived the day.

The younger girl looked after her until she disappeared in it, as if hesitating about something, but then rose from the grass as well, gave us a shy smile and left towards the trees at the opposite side of the clearing. When the waving, fluffy tail melted with the shadows of the trees, the remaining druids offered me and Eugeo to sleep in one of the sparse remaining hovels, but we refused. We chose a refreshing night in the open, among the soft grass under the low branches of one of the hornbeams. The murmur of the brook that reached the spot seemed slightly agitated, as if the water felt uneasy from all the rocks and trunks of trees that fell into it that day.

I sprawled on the velvety blades of grass and looked up at the little patch of sky visible between the twigs. The stars multiplied and shone more brightly now... the moon was crescent and seeped a delicate, greenish gleam into the forest. That sight somehow made me realize how exhausted I was. I think we set up some kind of record in the flight from the mansion to the camp today, and an attempted suicide and everything that came after it wasn't exactly something that relaxed the mind. I turned to lie on my side and covered myself a bit with one of my wings. I thought I heard Eugeo whisper a worn out 'goodnight', but I didn't manage to answer anymore...

* * *

„ _We share Adventures that become the Tales of Tomorrow._

_But even tomorrows Stories may have begun long ago..."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little announcement... I will be doing a series of Sword Art Online ~ Tales of a Dragonpath Bloopers XD If something funny pops into your minds while reading, let me know, we might conjure up something fun together!


	27. The watching Eyes

I woke up before dawn. The sky was starting to turn grey from daybreak, the camp silent and calm. Eugeo was still sleeping soundly by my side, breathing peacefully.

I stretched a bit, yawned and carefully stood up. I took a look around, at the slumbering druids and embers of the bonfire that emitted only the faintest of smokes now, at a single rabbit, watching me from the other side of the camp, at the morning dew glistening on fresh leaves. It felt like I could hear the breath of the forest among the soft silence embracing the clearing... Feeling some inexplicable urge, I cast Eugeo a short glance, before slowly wandering off into the shadow of the trees.

The forest in early bright was unique. The only things I heard were the murmur of the leaves and the whisper of my own, careful steps among the soft grass. The moist freshness of daybreak filled the thicket, not one living thing in sight. The warmth and the delicate mist caused me to feel like I was still asleep, as if I left my body under the tree next to Eugeo and was wandering with my soul only.

I took a deep breath, stretching again, my wings included this time. Staying in the Silivren Forest was doing wonders to the body and soul. I felt well-rested despite having slept pretty short. Still, I wasn't able to stop thinking about what Asuna told us just hours ago...

I let my arms fall with a short exhale and looked up into the sky. I had a dream about yesterday's events tonight, my imagination adding in things recreated from Asuna's words on its own accord. It felt like she placed a crystalline clear vision deep inside my soul, a vision that I could recall at all times, even if I didn't want to. As if she passed a memory on to me, one she relived many times, but now not just her own... It was so unexpected and I had to admit... she impressed me even more than she did until yesterday. Not with the fact that she was some 'Empress' though... she impressed me with her inner strength. She carried such a cruel past with her, she lost and suffered so much... but despite all that she maintained her cheerfulness, still had faith in other people and there was not a single day where one couldn't find a beautiful, honest smile on her angelic face. Compared to me or Eugeo she was just astonishing...

I kind of forgot myself in all these thoughts. When I returned to reality, I stated that I had not the slightest idea where I've wandered to. No landmarks as far as the eye could see, no sign of human activity. Even the vague path, meandering between the trunks was suddenly gone, leaving me in the middle of nowhere to contemplate my own stupidity. The only thing to still accompany me was the whisper of the darkened trees, the still too faint light of day dispersing and vanishing between them.

"Oh fantastic..." I whispered to myself in annoyance, looking towards a huge spider web hanging between two trunks, a composition of silver droplets on the delicate threads. "The last thing I need right now is waking up the entire camp by flying there or having Eugeo raise an alarm when he notices that the usual sleepyhead has dematerialized even before daybreak..."

My response was the rustle of leaves somewhere up, behind my back, and a silent, purring voice: "I can lead you back there if you want..."

I turned around in the exact same moment when Ronye jumped down from a nearby tree. For a long moment I just stared at the fascinating creature, now in a crouch from cushioning the fall and watching me vigilantly, but in a friendly manner. There was something in the warm sadness of her sapphire eyes that made her seem a bit older than her looks suggested.

"Well..." I stammered. "If it's not too much trouble, then I would really appreciate it..."

She moved her tail slightly, as if in mild amusement, smiled at me and came closer. "Of course it's not," she said, grabbing my sleeve delicately with just her thumb and index finger and gently pulled me in the direction I assumed I came from. The silence that fell upon us as we walked was a bit awkward, but after what seemed like just a few minutes the still sleeping clearing appeared between the trees, still breathing the memory of the passing night. An orange glow already formed in the sky above it.

Ronye stopped and after a brief moment turned to face me. "Will you be leaving again today?" she asked silently.

"I don't know, that will depend on Asuna's condition I guess..."

She hung her head, dipping her ears slightly. "I don't want her to leave again. I feel so lonely without her..."

"Well, maybe you could just come with us then?" unfortunately I wasn't quick enough to bite my tongue in time to prevent that offer to leave my mouth. I knew far too well, that it could be too dangerous.

But Ronye's ears already perked up, little sparks of hope appearing in her eyes. "Really? You think I could? I would be so happy if I could help Asuna somehow..."

I sighed silently. "Look... you will have to ask Asuna first. If she will feel certain, that she can protect you from what awaits us, I'm sure she will allow you to come. And me and Eugeo will gladly do our best to take care of you as well," I added with a smile.

Before she could answer, a slight movement at the border of the camp caught our eye. Eugeo sat up underneath the hornbeam and started to look around, most probably looking for me. Without thinking much, I took Ronye's hand in my own and left the shadow of the trees to prevent him from unnecessarily waking the others.

"Where have you been?" Eugeo asked after a relieved sigh.

"Just doing a little morning walk."

"Oh?" one of his eyebrows rose in what seemed to be amusement. I noticed that he was looking at my hand, still holding Ronye's, and I released it abruptly. Luckily, he chose not to make any comments about that, but he didn't spare me another one: "You getting up before dawn? Are you feeling alright?"

"Says the one who was sleeping like a log until just now."

An innocent smile was all I received in response.

When Ronye left us alone, her cheeks beautifully red for some reason, we just sat underneath the tree for some time, discussing yesterday's events and exchanging opinions about what Asuna shared with us, all the time listening to the chirps of waking birds. When the druids started to stir and get up one after another and began the preparations for breakfast, we decided to help, ignoring our guest status.

When we all sat down by a fresh fire, one of the female druids informed us, that Asuna is still asleep, and it would be good to leave her in peace as long as she needed to. We ate without her, and after cleaning the dishes started to repair the hovels.

We didn't leave as early as Ronye feared. Asuna slept almost through the entire day, while two of the other druids were regularly checking on her. When we were starting to feel worried due to this long absence, the archdruid soothed us by saying that she already "sailed around worse cliffs" in the past. When she finally woke up in the evening, she seemed as energetic and healthy as ever.

During the evening meal she suggested we return to the Apries Lake as soon as possible. Now that Sharish has shown his face to us, we needed to concentrate on developing our magic as best we could while trying to figure out what he was really up to.

After these words I more felt than saw how Ronye, sitting on a low branch of a nearby oak, stirred uneasily and dropped her ears. I decided to help this matter a little the next day.

We convinced Asuna to gather her strength for another night and leave tomorrow. We finished our meal in silence, listening to the gentle murmur of a storm in the far east, and called it a day. This time Eugeo and me got to sleep in a hovel that has been built exclusively for us.

When we made ourselves comfortable in there, I laid down on my stomach, rested my chin on my crossed wrists and started pondering. Was it really a good idea to take Ronye with us? I didn't want this little heart that was so attached to Asuna to suffer, but was it right of me to give her hope and suggest she come with us? I knew far too well how that could end, I've seen enough yesterday and I didn't want to see more...

I sighed silently, choosing to let Asuna decide, and fell asleep not long after, listening to the far singsong of some night bird. The delicate rain that came that night fell steadily, calmly and long.

The first, still blurry thing I saw after opening my eyes was a petite figure with lynx-ears, sitting by my side, roughly at the level of my knees. They moved, clearly intrigued, as if the owner was just waiting for me to wake up.

My mind was still too sleepy to process what I was really seeing and I sat right up, utterly startled, waking Eugeo with an unintended twitch of my wing.

"I'm sorry!" I quickly said when he jerked up as well, probably even more terrified than I was.

Meanwhile Ronye, completely unruffled by the panic she has caused, smiled at me sweetly and said: "Thank you. You were right, I just needed to ask her." And with a happy sway of her black tail she vanished from the hovel.

I supported myself with one hand against the pillow and just stared at the entrance, now empty, with just the first rays of morning sun peeping inside. When I finally realized what just happened, and that the problem I wanted to solve just solved itself, I couldn't hold back a short laugh.

Answering the inquisitive look of still confused Eugeo, I explained what caused the unexpected dawn sighting. Shortly after we left the hovel and went to freshen up by the brook. When we came back, Asuna and a few other druids were just about to finish making breakfast by a small fire. We treated ourselves with delicate, smoked fish and fresh fruits, without any rush at all, and proceeded to make preparations for departure.

"Are you taking the amulet with you?" Eugeo asked at some point and I glanced over just in time to see Asuna putting it into a deep pocket inside a leather bag.

"Yes," Asuna closed it carefully and then tied her hair into a lax ponytail. "It will be safer this way, Sharish will sooner or later notice that the one he has stolen is fake. And when he comes again for the real one, he will have me to deal with immediately this time."

"Us," I corrected her, and got a grateful smile in response.

Asuna then placed the bag securely on her shoulder, with the leather band crossing her chest, and called Ronye. She then got down on one knee and extended her arms slightly behind, clearly intending to take her piggyback. But the younger girl seemed to hesitate.

"What's wrong?" Asuna asked.

"Um..." Ronye cast her eyes down a little, moving her tail nervously. "Could I maybe try it with someone else today?" When Asuna raised her eyebrows, she quickly added: "It's not that I don't like flying with you, but... you were just hurt, you should still be careful, even if you feel better for now."

"Oh... well if Kirito or Eugeo wouldn't mind to do it, then I suppose it would be better..."

I was busy wondering if I would even manage to fly far with an additional weight on my back, when Ronye gave me a shy look that suggested there was more than that one reason why she didn't want to fly with Asuna. "Well..." the tone I spoke in might have been the most unsure I got out of me in my whole life, "I can try, nothing against strengthening my wings a bit."

Ronye almost beamed, and I mimicked Asuna's movement from before by kneeling down. The young sykerien was surprisingly light, just like a cat should be, and the hands that wrapped around my neck were as delicate and careful as Asuna's. Once I was sure my passenger was secure, we said our goodbyes to the druids and ascended from the clearing into the morning sky above the forest. At first Asuna watched us a bit anxiously, but after a few hundred meters of accident-free flight she smiled and flew a bit ahead, clearly at ease.

The day was beautiful, the sky free from clouds, and the sun warmed the pleasantly fresh air above the tree tops. It was hard to wish for better flying conditions. The three of us never before did it together and while I listened to the barely audible melody of the air being cut by our wings, I started to feel like there was some new, unique bond slowly taking its shape between us...

Ronye must have been flying with Asuna quite frequently in the past, because she showed no signs of fright. She just kept looking around curiously and I could almost feel the joy she was getting from the rush of wind caressing the fur of her dark-grey ears.

We didn't need to make any haste this time, so including the meal break in between, the return to the mansion took us a whole day. When we landed on the vast balcony of the smaller part's of the mansion top floor, I carefully put Ronye down. Before I could turn around to face her, I felt her touch on the surface of my left wing, featherlight and curious, as if she was itching to check how they felt like the whole journey, but didn't want to disturb my concentration in flight until now. When I gave her a slightly surprised look, she flushed an adorable shade of red and ran up to the shelves to our left, as if intrigued by the mountains of books three times taller than herself.

Asuna said to let her explore the place on her own and the three of us went down to the level of our bedrooms.

Almost in the same second the door leading to the bridge came into my field of vision, it opened, and Kaan stormed inside, almost completely out of breath.

"Where have you been all this time?!" we heard instead of a greeting. It occurred to us that he must have rushed here as soon as he noticed us coming from the south. And we suddenly realized that we pretty much evaporated from the mansion two days ago and no one here had the slightest idea what happened.

Asuna decided to take the matter in her own hands, walked up to him and delicately put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, it was my fault..." she said softly, giving him one of those looks that caused men's legs to give up on them. "I acted rashly and didn't think about the consequences. Will you let me explain?"

Seeing the worried anger in Kaan's eyes melt away, me and Eugeo allowed this explaining to happen between the two of them and didn't follow back upstairs.

"Her charm is more effective than any lockpick..."

"Yeah, that's why I'm sometimes jealous, and sometimes I pity him... she will always be able to have things her own way."

Eugeo laughed. "Well, I guess we should get prepared then," he said, watching Ronye, who let the pair upstairs be alone as well and was now observing the water in the bathroom downstairs rather mistrustfully.

"Get prepared?" I repeated unwittingly.

"While still in Silivren Forest Asuna mentioned something about giving us a proper course in being Disciples and that learning through making mistakes has worked pretty good until now, especially for you..."

"Very funny..."

"Anyway, I think we can expect her to teach us everything we need to know in the battle against Sharish the hard way."

"Including how to surprise your enemies, and occasionally your friends as well?"

Eugeo laughed again and I couldn't help but smile even with the perspective of backbreaking work ahead of me. I was kind of wondering why we didn't start doing that much earlier anyway. I always had the feeling that there are still so many things that I wasn't even able to imagine about our second nature, about myself and everything around me...

* * *

„ _Let's make the best Time out of our Lives..."_


	28. The Shine of Wind

And indeed, Asuna turned out to be a strict, but wonderful teacher, and me and Eugeo made swift progress thanks to her, even without falling on our faces at least once every hour. Eugeo very quickly caught the principles of using fire and I gladly practiced with him for a day, before Asuna decided to let us try it in flight.

"The key to it is perfect control over your wings," she said when we ascended above the lake, its waters warmed by the forenoon sun. Ronye, lazy after the late breakfast, watched us sleepily from a nearby tree. "They cannot disturb your concentration on anything else. They need to become something as natural as walking or running, they need to become an obvious reflex."

It sounded simple, but the situation quickly became more complicated than I anticipated.

When we went over from theory to practice, I was able to summon a flame so strong and beautiful that even Asuna wouldn't be ashamed of it. I was all pleased only until I briefly looked down though. When I noticed the dangerously quickly approaching surface of the lake, I panicked slightly and started to beat my wings harder, the flames between my palms vanishing instantly. I glanced to my left and saw Eugeo having similar problems. We both looked up to Asuna, who hovered above us at ease, watching us with what seemed to be deliberation.

It was then that I realized how much of my concentration went into the movement of my wings, and that it became painfully irregular as soon as I started to focus on something else.

"As you can see it only sounds easy..." Asuna said after lowering herself a bit towards our level. "How about we just practice more flying for starters, so that you get used to it as much as possible? We can also train the endurance in long-distance flight at the same time." At this point a little smile decorated her lips, as if she just came up with some interesting idea. "But I don't plan to chase you in circles around the lake or anything like that, don't worry. What would you say to... a little trip?"

The wind got a bit quieter, the surface of the lake smoothened.

"A trip?" I repeated, rising my eyebrows.

This time Asuna wasn't very eager to explain much though. When we returned to the mansion, she asked us to organize some provisions and some clean clothing for ourselves and prepare for departure. To the question about the purpose of it all she answered only with a playful smile and went to the other part of the residence to have a word with Kaan.

"Any ideas as to what attractions she prepared for us this time?" I asked Eugeo, watching him fold a shirt on the neatly made bed, so unlike my own.

"You need a clairvoyant to answer this question, not my humble person, Kirito," he answered with a hint of amusement. I just smiled and went to pack some small stuff as well.

After returning Asuna grabbed her bag from her room, the surprised Ronye from one of the armchairs, which she just contently started occupying, and flew out to the lake again. She made a few circles around the mansion's premise, as if enticing us to leave our hesitation on the balcony we were watching her from, and when we finally joined her, she turned south.

Our sudden journey lasted two days. We spent one night in the Selerath Valley, in a small cluster of trees on the west bank of Istria, which mooned around lazily on her way to her estuary somewhere far in front of us. We knew it made no sense to interrogate Asuna about anything if she refused to give an answer once already, so we decided to just enjoy the trip and the calm winds.

The second day she directed our flight just slightly to the west, and it became even more clear that we weren't heading for the druid camp, like I initially suspected. We sailed on the remnants of an east wind, but I started to feel subtle, irregular wafts from the south, that brought some unknown to me, but interesting scent with them.

"Asuna!" I yelled after her at last, my patience burned out.

"Yes?" she slowed down a little to be able to talk to me more easily.

I pulled Ronye, who was flying with me that day, slightly up so she didn't slide all the way down my back. "I really think it's about time you told us..." I said.

"And I'm really surprised that you were able to keep quiet all this time," she gave me an amused look. "But patience pays off..."

She looked straight ahead and my eyes just followed.

Beyond the already visible border of the Silivren Forest there was something glistening silverly, as if something really big was reflecting the sun's rays and was visible even from a fair distance. It took another few minutes of flight for us to see what it actually was though.

Sea...

A sea that spread towards the farthest verges of the horizon, its surface a crystalline turquoise, glimmering marvelously in the heavy-golden rays of early-summer sun...

Its calm, fine waves ran onto the bright sand of a slim band of beach at the feet of enormous cliffs, covered by the last trees of Silivren Forest, and then eluded like frightened fish back into the azure depths, where they belonged... The woods, hiding their secrets, their tranquility and their inhabitants in the silvery-green, accompanied the shore towards the west as far as the eye could reach.

My bewilderment brought me to a standstill in midair. I've never before seen the sea, despite having heard and read about it a lot of times during my captivity in the royal castle, thanks to boring topography lessons or the far more interesting adventure books. I didn't even begin to imagine that it was something so breathtaking though... The voices of birds mixed with the mysterious whisper of the waves, the scent of the forest with the salty breath of water. It was this whiff that I perceived towards the end of our journey.

Asuna let us some space for a few moments, so that me and Eugeo could feast our eyes to our hearts' content, before coming closer and asking: "How do you like it?" Her voice was quiet, as if she didn't want to disturb the melody of the waves.

"It's unbelievable," I finally managed. "It's..."

"Beautiful..." Eugeo finished for me. He sounded even more mesmerized than I was, which was unusual. "I grew up in the mountains and always thought they were magnificent, but this..." I tipped my head a little, taking note of the fact that breathtaking landscapes were able to make the normally reserved Eugeo suddenly talk about himself.

Asuna smiled warmly and turned her gaze to the horizon again. "This is where I learned to fly. I spent countless hours catching the sea breezes and allowing the waves to catch me if something went wrong. We have excellent conditions for exercise here, and for regenerating our bodies and minds after it."

"So we stay for a while?" I was already excited, never even worrying about the exercise part.

"Until I give the allowance to return," Asuna joked.

I set Ronye down beneath one of the trees at the border of the forest and the three of us flew out above the endless waters. Up to some point every detail of the sandy sea bed was clearly visible. After that the bottom must have been going into an abrupt drop, turning the water dark and impenetrable. There, in the water's reflection, I was able to observe myself in flight basically for the first time. I saw for myself how my wings looked like in all their glory, how they changed shape while gracefully catching the wind... and how all of that harmonized with what I was feeling with every beat.

Asuna soon tore me away from admiring myself, deciding to show us the real magic of flying.

She taught us all conceivable maneuvers that we could possibly think of, from barrel rolls and wing-overs, through using air currents to fly as long as we could without beating our wings, to flight with one wing dipped slightly into the cool water. She didn't need to remind us to do it carefully. I've experienced first-hand what the consequences could be and wouldn't forget them for the rest of my life. My favorite move became a free fall towards the water and opening my wings at literally the last moment to change the fall into a glide right above the small waves, from which tiny droplets rose towards me, torn free by the force of air movement.

Sometimes I felt like I could fly like this without end. In the air I felt boundlessly free, all my worries stayed on the ground somewhere. With each of my breaths I had the impression I was taking a subtle piece of the sea and coastal greenery and welcomed it to my very soul, becoming one with them. Above all else though, I delighted in the effect it had on Eugeo. The longer we played like this, the more lively he became, more eager to open himself up fully and I had the impression that sometimes the last remnants of pain, that always residued at the bottom of his eyes no matter what I did, were suddenly starting to fade.

Ronye on the other hand turned out to be rather insensitive to the charm of something she wasn't able to do herself, and when the exercises started to absorb our full attention, she set off into the brushes in search for wild strawberries.

A few days passed like this. We spent the nights under the branches of the forest, among the green of cedars and ivy, surrounded by the fresh scent of sea and the whisper of its waves. We ate breakfast shortly after dawn and set off into the sky above the waters. At the beginning Asuna suggested a simple play of tag in order to improve our agility in air, of course making me and Eugeo the chasers. It sounded silly to me at first, but turned out to be one of the hardest games I've ever played. She was experienced, skilled and very fast, making it hard for even the both of us at once to catch her. Every time I thought we finally had her, she eluded with a movement light as a flutter of a butterfly's wings. It also didn't help matters that me and Eugeo sometimes felt tempted to chase each other like silly kids rather than chasing our teacher. With time though, observing her made us understand some subtle mechanics and develop a new kind of instinct as well and we set the games aside.

We trained the usage of fire in flight again and planned to bring swords for some lessons in midair with them in the near future. Asuna seemed very pleased with our quick progress and I felt more and more hope with every successful exercise. At the end of each day we sat down in the grass of the high shore and observed the clouds, carrying the glow of setting sun on their edges, while eating. If a rain occurred in the morning and the afternoon was hot, at the end of the day the forest emitted a dizzying scent that soothed the exhaustion and helped to fall asleep peacefully. After dusk Ronye always rested in the crown of a low willow, listening to our calm breaths, as if watching over our sleep and our safety, and disappeared only shortly in the middle of the night for a hunt.

Every now and then we visited the druid camp to replenish our provisions a little and check if Sharish has decided to show himself again. Time passed though, and the successor of the Caydranth lineage was nowhere to be seen...

* * *

„ _And we will fly there to this small Paradise_

_Where we are there, alone but together_

_Enjoying the detours we make..."_


	29. The Whispers of Friendship

I was absorbed with being lazy on the balcony, watching the morning mists over the lake being dispersed by a delicate breeze and listening to the chirping of swallows, who made their nest under the beams of the roof. Two days ago Asuna enacted a break in our training, so we returned to the mansion. When the delicious breakfast finally settled down in my stomach and I felt like it wouldn't hurt to move again, I decided to browse the countless books a little.

When I wasn't able to decide even after a few minutes of moving my fingers across the soft leather spines, I thought about asking Eugeo for advice. I've seen him with various books so many times that I had the feeling he already read everything in this mansion that could be read.

I went down and gave the door to his bedroom a gentle knock. There was only silence on the other side, so I knocked one more time and peeked inside. The room was empty. I tried the floor below, but he wasn't in the bath either. Finally, I ended up in Asuna's room.

"Can I help you with something?" she asked when I entered after a word of admittance. She was sitting on her bed, busy cleaning her beautiful wings.

"Yeah... do you know where Eugeo went?"

"He's not in his room?" When I shook my head, she suggested: "Maybe he went to Kaan, or for a little walk?"

"Maybe..."

There was a hint of amusement in the smile that she gave me. "No need to panic every time he disappears for a few minutes. He's all grown up, he can take care of himself."

"You're right, I'm sorry," I smiled in embarrassment. "But you didn't see him go or fly anywhere did you?"

Asuna shook her head slightly and went back to cleaning the ruby scales.

And I suddenly felt the crystal underneath my shirt becoming slightly warmer... I raised my eyebrows, looking at her in confusion. "Asuna..."

She sighed heavily and put the damp cloth down. "And I was doing so good... I think asking questions which require a direct answer is falling into a habit with you," she smiled apologetically. "You will have to forgive me though, because I can't tell you anything yet."

"Why?" I understood less than nothing now. "Where did Eugeo go?"

"He had to take care of something."

"What?"

"You will see soon," she gave me a mischievous wink.

"Stop playing around, what's the meaning of this?"

"Don't get angry, please... we will tell you about everything, I promise, just be a bit more patient."

I sighed in irritation. "Fine... I never thought we will have some silly secrets between us, but I'll wait..."

"Please don't make that face..." she looked me in the eyes pleadingly. "We don't want to spite you, we just want it to remain a tiny mystery for just a little longer, agreed?"

I melted a bit under this warm gaze that begged me to say 'yes'. It was inevitable. Seeing her smile like that made it impossible to not smile back and submit. "Fine," I said again, still a bit reluctantly, but gentler. "I can endure if it's something between the two of you, but if this has something to do with me, which I feel like it has, then I want to know everything, to the last detail."

"You have my word."

I smiled and returned upstairs, between the books, to try and find something on my own after all.

Eugeo came back late afternoon, shortly before dinner. That gave my thoughts a lot of time to circle around the secrets of my friends like our swallows in the sky at twilight. My frustration was soothed a bit by a nap in the gardens, caused by a book that turned out to be interesting only on the title page. I decided to arm myself with patience and not ask any further though. I knew Asuna would keep her promise.

The next morning, when I was just about to start my daily battle with my bed hair, Eugeo peeked into my room.

"Morning," he greeted me with a warm smile. "Did you sleep well?"

"Not bad indeed. You?"

"Same. Breakfast is ready, I'll be waiting upstairs."

When he disappeared, I quickly tamed my hair, fastened the last leather bands of my shirt underneath my wings and followed. We sat at the table, as always neatly set for our meal. But the room felt weirdly empty...

"Did you call Asuna and Ronye?" I asked when none of them showed up after a few minutes.

"There was no need to, they already ate," he propped his cheek on his hand lightly.

I frowned. "Let me guess... after that they left to who knows where, like you did yesterday."

"Kirito..." apology mixed with amusement in Eugeo's voice.

"You were supposed to stop these silly games soon and tell me what's going on."

"And we will, after we join them." I just opened my mouth slightly, but didn't answer. My rising confusion seemed to amuse my friend even more, and he added: "Eat, the faster we leave, the faster you can satisfy your curiosity."

I just returned to my meal.

After finishing and bringing the dishes to the kitchen, Eugeo dragged me outside, where he took a few moments to evaluate the strength and direction of the wind. "Are you ready?" he finally asked.

"Don't know for what, but let's say I am..."

"Come on..." he nudged me gently with his right wing. "I understand that you're irritated, but I promise that you won't regret it."

"I'll be the one judging that."

My friend sighed softly and we both ascended above the residence. Eugeo headed east, so I followed without a word.

After almost an hour, when we were soaring with an already faint, fading wind, and I noticed a vast clearing in the distance and the roofs of familiar huts among the green of the forest, I finally realized what all of that was about.

It was just...

I came to a stop in midair, several dozen of meters away from the village's border. A memory came back to me, a memory of the day I learned to fly, came here... met Alice... I felt an unpleasant sting in my chest. I didn't have the courage to do it again...

That moment of hesitation didn't escape Eugeo's notice. He turned back to hover at my side. "Don't be afraid," he said soothingly. "Your friend has something important to tell you."

I lifted my head in surprise. Did Eugeo actually talk to Alice about what happened that one evening? Did she contact him somehow or did he...

"Come on, don't be afraid," Eugeo didn't let me finish my thoughts. His warm gaze was strangely encouraging... "If you fall from a horse, you can just climb back on it, right?"

"Unless you break something in the process," I finally answered with an unsure smile. Nevertheless, I followed him.

When we came out into view above the first houses, we heard a few enthusiastic shouts and saw the villagers starting to gather in the open space in the middle. Asuna was standing a bit further to the back of the crowd and I noticed Ronye, sitting on the roof of one of the cottages at the opposite border of the village, her ears perking up when she noticed us.

I didn't have much time to think about what they were even here for, because right after landing my mind got occupied with a mild panic attack. I noticed that all villagers were looking straight at me, or rather my wings. A silent whisper raised among them, like the rustle of approaching wind... I bit my lip and cast my eyes down, clumsily fixing one of my unruly bangs and futilely trying to cower my wings behind my back. I expected some sort of long torture or something quick and destructive like a thunderbolt of a summer storm...

But then, before anyone could even say a word, I saw a golden light squirm through the others, run towards me and I felt myself being tackled and squeezed tightly around my waist. I had to flap my wings once to not lose balance, and I reflexively circled one of my arms around Alice's back.

"I'm sorry..." she muttered, lifting her head after a moment and looking me in the eyes with a hint of... shame? "I'm so sorry for what I said back then... I have no idea what's gotten into me, it just slipped out..."

I wasn't sure yet, but I thought I saw a snippet of hope, like the rim of moon in the sky. I took a breath, deep, but very quiet. "It's alright..." I said slowly. "After all, it's not every day that you come across someone with wings and all... I think my logic would have shut off too."

"So you're not angry?"

"Please, there's nothing to be angry about, Alice..." I managed an unsure smile.

She smiled back, visibly relieved. "Then I need to tell you one more thing..."

"What?"

"Happy birthday."

I blinked. I needed quite a few moments to actually get it. It was today... today was my birthday, the real one... Due to this whole commotion caused by Sharish and the training, I completely forgot...

I glanced in the direction of Eugeo and Asuna, standing in a respectful distance in the shadow of the trees. Kaan and his inseparable four-legged friend somehow materialized here as well. I noticed one of his beautiful horses further back, happily chewing on some grass and sometimes pausing this pleasant activity to cast a confused glance at the human gathering, clearly not understanding the whole uproar. When Asuna waved at me happily, I started to wonder how in the world they found out. It seemed impossible that Eugeo coincidentally, just a day before the event, simply flew here and asked about it.

I wasn't allowed to deliberate about that for long though. Before I could even open my mouth, I got surrounded by the other villagers who wanted to greet and shower me with birthday wishes. The first ones were my parents, who, despite my worries, seemed to not even pay attention to my wings.

Shortly after, still feeling the firm arms of the lumberjack's sons on my back, I was led to the middle of the village, where a huge pile of firewood along with tables bending under the weight of food and drinks already stood prepared. It looked almost like that one evening, when I returned home after two years...

Already after the first toast Ronye got snatched away to play by a few kids, who showed particular interest in her fluffy tail and ears. I didn't get much peace either, because Suguha categorically refused to leave my side, and keeping an eye on her was surprisingly difficult for a child which just learned to crawl. An effective solution turned out to be leaving the fiery-green ribbons, which marked the chair meant for me, in her tiny hands. Eugeo and Asuna were busy explaining things to the elders, who asked things about magic and the Disciples of the Last Dragons, as if our appearance sparked the young spirit of adventurers in all of them. I was pretty sure that in around a week their imaginations would bestow upon us some crazy abilities that I couldn't even dream of, and in their stories we would be fighting battles that I would have preferred never to see.

What touched me most of all though, was the fact that my two friends never hid their wings for even just a second. They just sat there, in all their glory, among the other partiers. I was sure they wanted to encourage me this way, so that I wouldn't feel awkward just because I was the only one who couldn't make them disappear. I was grateful... I was grateful for everything they've done for me, and the irritation about their earlier secrets was long forgotten. I knew they had the best intentions possible. And while watching them all, a warm thought crossed my mind...

_In this heaven, wings are completely superfluous..._

After the first hunger was satiated, the frisky little ones, all chirpy after playing with Ronye, started to ask us to take them for a ride in the air. Their parents didn't even want to hear about it at first, but the pleading whines and Asuna's and Ronye's reassuring words about it being completely safe, they gave in. For the next half an hour the sky above the village was filled with enthusiastic cheers and fascinated sighs. The ever worried mothers where the only ones who smiled only after their offspring landed safely back on the ground.

When darkness started to gently, but assiduously seep into the village, and the thrushes to call the surroundings to sleep, me, Eugeo and Asuna gave a display of our magic and lit the bonfire with fanciful fireplay, making the villagers gape in amazement. Among the three circles of flames that we created at the end, mine seemed to shine brightest. It earned me a proud glance from Asuna, but wasn't really much of a surprise to me. The feeling that fed the fire that night was crystal clear like water coming straight from a mountain spring. There were so many people around that it could burn for...

The party lasted till late at night. I spent most of that time with Alice, talking and messing around like we always used to. Later I got charged with putting Suguha to bed, so Alice snatched Lisbeth and went to talk to Asuna about something. Since our arrival here I sensed some kind of mistrust the two eyed my beautiful friend with, but it didn't take them long to get comfortable like they've known each other for years.

Along with a lot of love, I received quite a lot of beautiful gifts that evening. One of them was a book from Eugeo, which he told me was the most thrilling he's ever read. Another was a scabbard from Lisbeth, made for the dagger she forged for me, followed by an apple tart from Alice. She admitted she did it all by herself, from climbing the best apple tree in the vicinity to pick the prettiest, still a little sour apples, to watching over the tart baking until it got the just right, dark-golden crust. It was the most delicious pastry I've ever tasted, and I happily shared it with Eugeo, Asuna, Ronye and proud like never before Alice.

As we finished eating, I caught a glance from Asuna, which sparked the thought that she would surprise me with some unique gift next. But she just smiled at me and cast a kind of conspirative look towards Ronye, to which the dark cat ears moved slightly. The younger girl came up to me, cheeks slightly darkened, and asked for a little walk. Even before I agreed, I started to wonder which one of the beautiful spots in the proximity I should take her to, but then she locked arms with me and led me into the forest with a determination that suggested, that we already had a destination.

She led me through the thicket north-east of the village, to a little hill with some open space. I used to come here with Alice a lot, before and after my abduction, to look at the stars and watch them wander under the supervision of their huge, silvery-white shepherd.

When we reached the top of the hill, Ronye let go of my arm and looked me in the eyes. "Please wait here for a moment," she said before walking off towards the brushes to our left. She soon came back, carrying something small in her hands, carefully, almost lovingly.

She stood in front of me and extended her hands shyly. I raised my eyebrows in astonishment.

She held a small crystal, transparent, beautiful, the size of her palm. There was a flower trapped in it... it resembled something between a winter aconite and an arctic starflower, but the petals were fuller, overlapping each other and multilayered. It had the color of the sky right after sunset, when darkness hasn't entirely conquered it yet, but was eager to spread like ink in water.

"It's a flower that only we sykeriens know how to grow..." Ronye's soft voice brought me back to reality. "It's said that it brings good fortune to any race except our own. But we are forbidden to give it to anyone outside our kin... it's punished by banishment. But since I can't live among my tribe anyway, I wanted to give it to you... with the greatest wishes of good luck... Asuna wanted to say that too, she created the crystal with her magic."

I carefully encircled her warm hands with my own. "It's beautiful..." I whispered. "But still, the feelings you both put into it are even more precious to me. Thank you... I will cherish it more than anything else in my possession."

She gave me a sweet smile and I couldn't help but embrace her gratefully. She didn't seem to mind at all, just put her head on my shoulder and circled her fragile arms around my back. "Even if I still was living among my kin, I would gladly risk giving it to you..." I heard her quiet whisper. "You, Asuna and Eugeo are the best family I could have wished for..." I smiled and stroked her hair a few times. I hesitated for a second before taking the opportunity to touch one of her ears. They seemed warmer than the rest of her body and the fur covering them was as soft as the outer surface of my wings, but in a different, fluffy way. She seemed to enjoy it, but it still made her pull away pretty quickly, cheeks flaming red. I smiled again, half amused, half apologetic, and let her lead me back to the village.

As the singing and hum of conversations slowly started to become quieter than the whispers of the crickets, the last few of us still awake gathered by the fire. Some of the participants were having so much fun that evening, that they crossed the ways to their homes in a record-breakingly long time. It was incredibly pleasant to forget about all worries by watching them, allowing the warmth of the flames to neutralize the night's chill, that brushed our backs. The gentle gleam reflected beautifully off of the fur of tired Ronye, who finally found shelter from the children and some remaining sweets by Asuna's side. The night was warm, filled with the scent of resin and dried needles, so the younger banqueters, including us Disciples, Ronye and Kaan, chose a night in the open, among the soft grass at the border of the forest. The poor sykerien quickly dozed off in the branches somewhere above our heads, clearly worn out after the last ambush of the tiniest ones. A delicate, pleasant breeze picked up, the mighty old trees started to murmur some lullaby. Even so, every now and then an incautious, louder laughter would echo among the silent conversations still continuing here and there, and the air would come back to life for the next few minutes.

Finally though, when the dying out moon emerged from between the cloudlets above the Elladar Plains and started to seep its delicate, silvery light between the leaves, sleep conclusively conquered us and the village fell silent.

In the afternoon the next day, Asuna was clearly regretful to announce that we need to go back to continue our training. I promised Alice and my parents that I will be visiting them more often from now on, and we set off, waving to the shrinking silhouettes below.

When we've already put some distance between us and the village, and Kaan fell a little behind us on his horse in the forest beneath, I finally released the question that I was stifling from the moment we came here. "How in the world did you know when my birthday is?" I looked at my friends, squinting a bit from the sun's rays, that were painting the sky amber. "I've never told any of you..."

"You didn't need to," Asuna smiled. "We kind of found out by accident."

"How?"

"You see..." Eugeo started hesitantly, "I noticed that you weren't even mentioning your family lately, let alone voicing the need to visit them and spend even just a little time there... It seemed weird to me, because from what I observed, you are very attached to them, to Alice most of all. We reached a conclusion that something must have happened, so I flew over to try and find the cause. I talked to your parents first, but they didn't know anything. But the conversation with your friend enlightened me... about your birthday as well, purely by coincidence."

I couldn't help but smile warmly. "You are both fantastic..."

"You're exaggerating."

I shook my head slightly. "You are... you reminded me of how many things there actually are, that I want to fight for. It's like you gave me new strength for the fight against Sharish. Until today, I had my doubts, but now I feel like even if his magic is stronger and more advanced, we still have better chances. Because we have each other."

Asuna looked at me as if she was suppressing a silent laugh. "Who would have thought, our Kirito is growing up..."

She had to immediately scamper off further up to escape me, which didn't stop her from laughing at me anyways. Eugeo just shook his head with a smile and followed us into the infinite azure.

* * *

„ _And with every Dream_

_Life gains color..."_


	30. And May The Sun Lead Us

Everything good needs to come to an end, and the weather must have recalled that stupid saying the next day and decided to cry itself out as if it never did it before. The rain greeted us already early in the morning, sometimes we could hear a murmur of thunder somewhere in the distance and the wind angrily wrinkled the lake's surface. The waves intruded higher than usually, between the littoral greenery, filling the gaps between rocks and softening the soil underneath the solitary boulders that were scattered here and there along the shore. Despite that, Asuna decided to be merciless, saying that we need to be able to handle any circumstances. At least she spared us the flight to the sea this time though, and I cheered myself up with the perspective of a hot tea in the hot bath afterwards.

"Asuna?" Eugeo's voice broke through the noise of the stirred lake, tearing me away from my fantasies. "Don't you think we are quite defenseless in such a situation?"

"Exactly..." I shoved my drenched bangs away from my eyes. "We can only dream about using fire now, at best."

"If you do only what you are capable of doing, you will never improve, dear Kirito," the rain seemed to be unable to wash away Asuna's energy and optimism. "That's why I asked you to bring the swords today." She hesitated for a second. "But there is something else... I actually once succeeded in summoning fire in rain. It was just once and I haven't been able to do it ever since. I must have accidentally triggered some different part of the magic... which is why I want to try a bit today." She smiled at us. "Maybe you thought that it's not true, but even I don't know everything yet."

And so we started the arduous attempts of striking a fire in streams of rain.

Despite all efforts, it seemed futile, and I started to lose my patience by the eighth try. The downpour immediately extinguished every flicker that came to life in my hands, and I finally dropped them, sighing heavily. I was drenched as if I just came out of the lake. I was jealous of Ronye, who hid herself underneath Asuna's blanket first thing after breakfast, and was probably napping there till this very moment.

"This is pointless," I declared. "This is against all logic."

My friends paused their useless efforts as well. "There has to be a way," a hint of resignation stained Asuna's voice. "If I could do it one time, then it has to be possible."

"Maybe it requires some specific words, or maybe movements, like with a spell?" suggested Eugeo.

"Look, you could have asked me for a dance the day before yesterday, at the party, right now I'm not really in the mood," I joked.

There was something in Eugeo's eyes that immediately gave away what was going to happen next. I turned around with a single beat of my wings and fled, in the same instance in which he darted after me.

"Get back here right now!" I heard his amused voice behind my back.

"Why do you always say that even though you know far too well that I won't?! And what do you want from me anyway?!"

"Nothing!"

"Then why are you chasing me?!"

Eugeo's next words were drowned out by Asuna's pearly laugh and a distant, deep thunder. When we finally run out of strength to play tag any longer, she decided to spare us any further strain and ordained hot tea or milk with honey. I was already envisioning a fresh set of dry clothes and a fluffy towel...

We didn't even cross half of the distance separating us from the mansion, when Eugeo suddenly looked over his shoulder, his hand reaching for his sirath. Upon seeing that me and Asuna turned around instantly, even before he managed to say a word.

In the distance, above the panorama spreading further beyond the western shore of the agitated lake, we noticed three strange, bright shapes. They were slowly gaining in size... I frowned. The rustle of the droplets on water and leaves was quite loud, but even so some weird sound started to break through it. Something like rhythmic, low growling... We exchanged brief glances and silently spread out a little, so we would be able to surround the opponent with a semi-circle, if it turned out necessary.

When we saw what that really was though, all three of us almost froze in place.

Three enormous wild cats... or rather three creatures, that could be taken for wild cats, if it weren't for the unusual size and the wings that grew out of their backs, so similar to the wings of the Disciples of the Last Dragons, but copper in color... Their slender, muscular bodies were covered in scales instead of fur. They were entrancing in their majesty and peculiar beauty, but right now they awakened only a feeling of dread. The reason for that was probably the fact, that the figure sitting on one of those creature's back...

"Sharish!"

The mage smiled and bowed his head slightly. "Hello again, my friends," he said almost cheerfully. His dark robe, flapping in the wind, was completely dry, as if he was nonexistent for the falling rain.

"What do you want here?" Asuna didn't waste her breath for courtesy. She was calm, but watched him as if he was a venomous snake ready to attack.

"I'm surprised that question came from you, of all people," Sharish's voice quickly became harsher. "After this shameless deceit you should know best what I came here for."

"It's your fault that you fell for it like you've never seen magic before. And don't think I will hand it to you just like that."

"But please understand that I don't want to harm you. All the more because you're so helpless in this weather..."

"Leave her alone will you?!" I finally found my voice after the initial shock and drew my training sword. To my right I heard the crystal clear sound of the Blue Rose Sword being pulled out of its sheath.

"I already told you that this isn't just about her. It's about all three of you."

"So maybe you could explain to us what exactly is on your mind here?"

"I want to clean this world of non-magic beings..."

"And revive dragons, yes, we already know that. I would rather you told us how you managed this," Asuna pointed to one of the creatures accompanying Sharish. "Is that your first step in the direction of your dreams? I'm sorry, but this is pretty far away from being a dragon."

"That's because the components are imperfect. But you can't deny that I'm on the right path, can you? And with your help..."

"Don't even count on it."

Sharish sighed. "You should really give this a bit of a deeper thought. The good and the bad can sometimes have the same appearance. How they are perceived depends solely on the moment in our lives, in which they cross our path. Humans are becoming more and more mindless destroyers, even more so since they succeeded at putting an end to the draconic race. It's not enough for them that they are destroying themselves, they rise their hand against anything they see a potential danger in, even if that danger exists only in their minds. They think they have the right to decide about everything... they fell to their own stupidity and longing for control. But I can correct the mistake of my ancestor and rid the world of them..."

"I really didn't think you were _this_ ignorant..." Asuna interrupted his speech roughly. His cajoling tone clearly had no effect on her. "Oh sorry, did I say 'ignorant'? I meant impudent."

"So you refuse my offer?" Sharish's question was calm, but there was something beside the disappointment in his voice that made a chill run down my spine.

"By all means, indeed. Get out of my sight as long as I'm still politely asking you to do so."

The mage watched her for one more moment before his eyes shifted to me. I involuntarily gave my wings one stronger beat and lifted my hand that wielded the sword. "Well..." he finally said, "I guess I will have to use more 'colorful' methods then..."

He snapped his fingers and two of the beasts roared loudly and jumped... right onto Eugeo. What came next happened in splinters of seconds.

Eugeo deflected the first blow from a powerful paw with one seemingly delicate strike of the Blue Rose Sword, sending a spray of blood after the droplets falling from the sky. But the other monstrosity was already on his left flank. Before I could shake off the terror and do something against it, Asuna appeared as if from nowhere. She shoved Eugeo away and evaded the second beast's fangs with a flick of her wings. She didn't manage to escape the claws though. It seemed to me as if time started to flow slower, as I watched the beast swing its paw, hitting Asuna's back and spraying blood and shards of fabric in a wave-like arc.

It was her agonizing scream that brought me back to my senses. When the beast jumped back and Asuna started falling towards the lake, I instantly leaped after her to prevent her from falling into the water. Suddenly though, my path was blocked by one of the monsters, the one Eugeo previously drove away. I saw my friend dart past me to do what I couldn't, but suddenly there was a flash of copper-gold in front of him as well...

With one panicked flap of my wings I jumped away to a relative safe distance from the beast, biting my lip. The rain was washing the fresh blood away from the other one's huge claws... I felt dread clench my throat. I had to save Asuna, but I couldn't think of a way...

Eugeo found it for me.

He evaded his beastly opponent, who leaped at him with a heavy roar, by jumping to his left and swung the Blue Rose Sword in a slanted cut from the bottom left. I saw the blade accidentally brushing the edge of his sirath, that flew up due to the sudden motion... the crystal and the sword flashed a brilliant shade of azure and suddenly the beast was enveloped by ice. Semi-transparent, sky-blue ice, growing from the right paw of the monster, which it extended towards my partner, through its head and torso, all the way to its tail and the very tips of its wings. It seemed like the beast hovered like that, suspended in time and space, for a few seconds, before it fell heavily towards the dark waters of the lake.

The second monster must have instinctively sensed the danger, because when Eugeo turned to face it, it backed away and flew behind its companion, the one Sharish was still sitting on. Upon seeing that, the mage threw us a furious stare, turned the beast he was riding around and withdrew quickly towards north.

"How the heck did you do that?!" I finally tore my gaze away from our opponents, slowly vanishing behind the curtains of rain.

"I... I have no idea..." Eugeo stared at his sword for a moment, clearly bewildered. Then he shook his head and lowered the weapon, gazing down. "But that's not important right now."

He folded his wings completely and dove towards the stirred surface of the lake at astonishing speed. I followed his example and started frantically looking around. The only thing we were able to find after a few moments were blurry stains of blood among the grass on the nearest shore...

"Where did she go...?" I didn't stop scanning the surroundings even for a second. "She couldn't just fly away with a wound like this..."

It was then that I picked up someone's voice, barely coming through the noise of rain. I might have noticed it only because the voice sounded high-pitched with panic and was calling my name. I glanced toward the mansion. I noticed Ronye, standing on the balcony of the top floor of the residence and waving at us, her movements having something urging and desperate to them...

When we joined her on the balcony moments later, the first thing I noticed was the fright in her sapphire eyes and the tears on her cheeks. Without a word she snatched the sleeve of my shirt and pulled me down the stairs, straight to Asuna's room. The door wasn't even closed, and what we saw even before entering almost made my knees give up on me.

Asuna laid on the soft coverlet of the huge bed. She was drenched, her eyes closed... she wasn't moving... Under the torn fabric of her tunic gaped four long wounds, stretching from her right shoulder blade all the way down to her left hip. The membrane of one of her wings, now lying inertly on the bed sheets, was mostly severed from her body where it should have met her back...

When she heard us come in, thank heavens, she opened her eyes slightly with visible effort and looked in our direction. I was sure the wetness on her cheeks didn't come from the water of the lake alone...

We were at her side quicker than she was, when she saved Eugeo.

"Asuna..." my partner managed to stammer out. "How did you...?"

"He... brought me here..." she whispered weakly.

"Who?"

"Me," we suddenly heard behind our backs.

We turned around hastily. In the corner of the room, on a chair standing beside a small dresser, with his arms folded on his chest, sat... Chrysheight.

Eugeo's hand darted to the hilt of the Blue Rose Sword faster than I could blink. "What are you doing here?!" the rage that flashed in his eyes was so raw, that I had to force myself to not take a step back.

"You know, you could be at least a little grateful that I rescued your friend," the mage was the embodiment of indifference. "I even got myself drenched for that."

Eugeo fell silent, eyeing him with mistrust. I frowned as well. This murderer... rescuing Asuna? If it was unthinkable for me, Eugeo must have had an utter chaos in his head from receiving that information.

"Don't look at me like that, help her," the man urged us negligently.

My friend visibly had to put a lot of willpower into postponing his retort, and turned to Asuna again. I did the same, casting cautious glances towards the corner of the room every now and then.

"This doesn't look good..." muttered Eugeo, examining the wounds carefully. "The bleeding is not dangerous, but still..."

"I will be fine..." Asuna managed a faint smile.

"I want to believe you, but we still need to take care of them... Kirito could you please bring some clean towels and bandages?"

I just nodded and stood up. Before I left the room, I shot another glance towards Chrysheight, who never left his spot. What did this man have in mind...? The fact that he would selflessly rescue Asuna seemed about as likely as Eugeo suddenly getting to like him. I still had the fact, that he didn't really hurt us and wanted to explain something a while ago, in the back of my mind, but I still didn't believe in the altruism of it.

When I came back shortly after, Eugeo already had a bowl of warm water and a clean cloth prepared. Ronye was sitting on the floor in the opposite corner of the room from Chrysheight, still sobbing quietly, so I decided to let Eugeo handle the bandaging alone. I probably wouldn't be much of a help anyway, feeling nauseous by just looking at Asuna's wounds... I sat close to the young sykerien and embraced her delicately, allowing her to clutch the fabric of my shirt while she watched Eugeo with anxiety.

When finally, after many stifled wails and tears of pain, my friend managed to put an end to the suffering, he carefully covered Asuna with a delicate blanket, wiped the blood off his hands with the last clean towel and sat at the edge of the bed.

"Why did you rescue her?" he asked in an ice-cold tone. "I thought watching people die makes you happy."

The mage calmly straightened himself in the chair. "Well... you probably won't believe me, but I wish to offer you my help."

"I'm surprised the word 'help' even exists in your vocabulary," Eugeo folded his arms on his chest. "And you are absolutely right, I don't believe you. Because why should I?"

"Maybe because I know how we could easily make Sharish pretty harmless."

"You suddenly want to act against him?" I almost smirked. "When not so long ago, he was making good use of your... services?"

"I already told you that I never really worked for him. I'm only looking for benefits for myself..."

"And for opportunities to spill blood," Eugeo growled.

"Blood that is spilled by almost everyone, dear Eugeo," Chrysheight waved his hand carelessly. "In this world, blood was, is and will be flowing like wine at royal tables, you are aware of it."

Eugeo was silent for a while. I could see that he was fighting some inner battle with himself, and every word that came from the mage's mouth seemed to infuriate him even more. Still, when he spoke again, he seemed indifferent: "Well then, how according to you, are we supposed to stop Sharish?"

"It's quite easy really. We need to prevent his further attempts to revive dragons and don't let his magic grow more than it already is."

"How?"

"First, don't allow him to gather more components for his experiments. The beasts he came with here today were merely hybrids, which he created using old dragon scales that he found somewhere. Fortunately, as far as I know, he already ran out of them... but he knows where to get his next supply."

"Where?"

"I didn't find out the details yet, but supposedly they are hidden somewhere together with something, that would allow him to achieve his second goal - more powerful magic."

"And what is that?"

"Did you ever hear about the fact, that almost every mage, in the past or present, liked to have something to serve him as a storage of raw magical energy? For Sharish, who comes from the Caydranth lineage, it was the Ilmerast."

The familiar sounding name made Asuna open her eyes slightly. "Ilmerast...?" she whispered, startling us a bit.

"Exactly. Did you know that the name 'Ilmer' came from the connection of two words: the elvish 'ilia', which means 'dawn' or 'sunrise', and an antiquated word from the mage language 'meron', which could be translated as 'guardian'?"

"No..."

"And your hometown wasn't called Ilmer without a reason. The term 'Dawnguard' was referring to the fact, that there was a powerful item being kept safe in this city - the Sunrise of Earlindon. According to legend, it was a mosaic of crystals, that the founder of Ilmer, and eventually of Earlindon itself - Bercouli, found during his adventures and decided to settle down in this spot."

"Wait, I thought Ethelred was the founder of Earlindon," I interjected.

"He was the first king, but he wasn't the founder. Bercouli would have become the first king, but after a while he felt the longing for adventuring once again and headed north, towards the Elkjar Mountains."

Eugeo stirred, which elicited a satisfied smile from Chrysheight. "That's right. Once upon a time, this man wandered to the mountains you were born in. And there was something he carried with him..." the mage's gaze slipped down to my friend's waist.

"No way..."

I suddenly felt excited, forgetting a little about the tense situation. "Is that true Eugeo?"

"I... I don't know... this sword has been in my family for decades..."

"Oh... and you didn't know about this trick with the ice either?"

Eugeo only shook his head, to which Chrysheight reacted with a satisfied smile. "I think I can help you understand all of that better," the mage reached underneath his shirt on his chest and pulled out something like a small leather tube. He tossed it to Eugeo and my friend caught it nimbly. He eyed the object with mistrust, then opened the lid at one end. I gave Ronye an inquiring look, to which she answered with a tiny nod, so I stood up and helped her to her feet as well. When she sat at Asuna's side, and I on Eugeo's, my friend already took a piece of thick parchment out of the leather container and unrolled it.

It seemed very old, ragged on the edges, the light brown color of it irregular, as if someone spilled some strong herb infusion on it a long time ago. It was a beautiful and detailed drawing of a city, porched houses, a plaza with a flowerbed and a small tower of something like a temple in the distance. Underneath, as if suggesting that it lay hidden in the underground below the town, was what seemed like a simplified depiction of a sunrise. It consisted of a semi-circle with five small, triangular 'rays' above the upper arch, and three bigger ones between them.

Upon closer examination though, we noticed more and more details. The main part of it wasn't simply a half of a circle. The edges were a little angular, and there were shadings on its surface that made it look like some sort of rock or crystal. And the rays weren't just perfect triangles either, they were more claw-shaped, a bit curved at the tip...

"Wait..." I didn't even really register that this word has left my mouth. I reached underneath my shirt, pulled out my sirath and held it close to the parchment.

We both looked at Chrysheight, who had a pleased smirk on his face.

"That there, my friends, is a drawing of Ilmer in its early years, along with a depiction of the Sunrise of Earlindon."

"But... but that doesn't add up..." mumbled Eugeo.

"It does if you think about it. The stones were found by Bercouli. He used a part of the main crystal to forge the blade for the Blue Rose Sword. Later on, after Bercouli already left Ilmer, an ancestor of Sharish got tempted by the usefulness of the remaining crystals for magical purposes, stole them and ran off. They served him and his descendants for many decades, all the while collecting the energy the mages fed them with. While being in the possession of Vecta Caydranth, the crystals were snatched away by the last dragons in the middle of their last battle. They used their remaining magic to hide the main part and the five smallest ones all over Earlindon. The three bigger 'rays' were turned into siraths..."

"So that's why the Blue Rose Sword reacted..." I looked to the weapon at my friend's side. "The blade accidentally touched your sirath didn't it? It was just two pieces of the same magic meeting each other after a long time..."

Eugeo nodded. For some reason he seemed to be getting more and more tense with each information we received, while my mind gratefully accepted the explanations.

"That's right," confirmed Chrysheight. "And it also explains why the Caydranth lineage was this quiet for a few generations. Only recently Sharish managed to find the main part of the crystal, the Heart of the Sunrise, and is now looking for the rest..."

"Wait, he found only one shard and he's already able to create dragonnes?"

"Create what?" I blurted out, confused.

"The hybrids Sharish came on here today are called dragonnes," explained Eugeo.

"Oh..."

"Well..." he continued. "I admit, it all sounds nice and logical, but why should we trust you?"

"You do have this pretty boy, don't you?" Chrysheight pointed to me.

I scowled and stopped turning my sirath between my fingers. "Until now, he's telling the truth..." I admitted reluctantly.

"And I can make your search much easier."

"You know where to find the shards?"

"For now I know where one is, and I have my suspicions about the second. The rest might need some more work..."

"Where?" Eugeo cut him off coldly.

"I will wait with the second until I'm sure, but the first..." Chrysheight reached under his shirt again, on the other side this time, pulled out a small crystal and turned it around in his fingers to let it reflect the light in a goldish tone, "is here."

I held my breath for a moment. Eugeo on the other side looked at him with even greater mistrust now, I thought I saw a flicker of surprise in his eyes. He was hesitant about his next words for a few moments. "And we are supposed to believe that this is not some trickery?" this time his voice was devoid of any emotion, like he was doing all he could to hide them. "What guarantee do we have, that this little trinket won't hurt us?"

"It won't. You don't even have to touch it, it's enough if you destroy it. That's what we are aiming for, isn't it? To strip Sharish of his magical capabilities."

"Oh, now I get it," a mocking smile appeared on my friend's lips. "You are scared of exposing yourself to his anger, so you're letting us do the dirty work."

The mage sighed heavily. "No, it's because only you three are capable of destroying it."

Eugeo gave me a questioning look. I nodded. "If he really wants to help us... nevermind the reasons... then I think we should make use of it," these words were hard to get out. But for the greater good, I was ready to set my grudges aside.

"Fine..." sighed Eugeo finally. It seemed like his words were forcing their way out of him. "You still didn't convince me, but you're lucky the decision is not just up to me."

Chrysheight gave us an almost radiant smile, though his arrogance never left his piercing eyes, and put the stone on the dresser next to him. "I'm glad we could reach an agreement," he stood up. "I'll contact you as soon as I collect some reliable information or if the next shard finds its way to my hands somehow. Until then, farewell."

With these words the mage vanished, and in his place appeared the usual, single fluffy feather. It made a graceful turn, as if moved by an impalpable puff of air, then almost came to a standstill in midair before starting to fall soundlessly.

Only when it ceased moving on the edge of the dresser, Eugeo took a deep breath, leaned slightly forward, propping his elbows on his knees and allowed his flaxen bangs to cover his eyes a little. I looked at him with concern. Throughout this whole conversation I could almost feel like every single one of Chrysheight's words, each single one of his movements, had such a deep impact on him, as if he just saw his friend's death for a second time... It became clear to me that some things couldn't be simply erased by the words "maybe I should try to forget about it"...

"Eugeo..." I started quietly, not even really knowing how I could help him at this moment.

He just sighed heavily. "I'm fine, don't worry..." he reassured me, straightening up a bit again.

Asuna, who meanwhile calmed down completely and recovered some of her strength, reached out and delicately put her hand on his. The gentle smile that she gave him when he looked at her, elicited a tiny smile in response.

"So... what now?" I finally asked, casting a short glance towards Ronye. She regained her composure again as well, although her eyes were still moist from the recent tears.

"Well..." Eugeo took another deep breath and stood up. "If this can really stop Sharish without the need for bloodshed, then we should do it. I certainly prefer this solution to an open war..." He walked over to the spot where Chrysheight was sitting and knocked the feather down from the dresser, as if he was chasing away a persistent fly. He took the glittering crystal shard and frowned slightly, as if thinking about something.

"Me too," I agreed. "Maybe there is a way to completely deprive him of even his own magic as well and make him harmless..."

"There might be..." Asuna murmured sleepily. "But I'll have to do some research on that..."

Eugeo gave yet another, but silent sigh and finally a tender smile appeared on his lips. "You should concentrate on recovering for now," he cooled her down gently. "We in the meantime will try to find some clues about the other shards. We don't need the help of this..."

"But promise us," Asuna cut him off just in case, "that if he should find them before us, you won't attempt to single-handedly solve the mystery that will lead us to his pocket."

At last Ronye laughed and Eugeo's expression became warmer. "I promise. Besides... it would be impossible with you all anyway."

"That's what we're here for. To stop you from doing stupid stuff," I tried to yank him all the way back to his old self too.

"And to lead you through the nightmares. Probably a fairly big one is awaiting us... but sometimes the only way to morning is through nightmares. Or should I say the only way to 'dawn'?"

"Yeah... let's call it a day. I'm dreaming about hot water and my bed... those two provided a greater commotion than the weather outside..."

"You can go ahead, I'll get us all something warm to drink."

"Can I help you?" Ronye swayed her tail pleadingly.

"Sure," I held out my hand, which she gratefully accepted and stood up. "We should also get something to eat for Asuna and tell Kaan about everything in a way that won't make him pass out, while we're at it."

We left the room quietly to let Asuna relax a little, before her terrified lover came running.

When me and Ronye went out to the bridge connecting the two parts of the residence, the last, tiny droplets of rain were about to stop falling into the lake. In the distance, the thick layer of clouds was starting to give in to the sun's brilliance, the first, shy birdcalls started echoing among the tree branches.

I sighed softly, feeling the tension finally leave me. I knew that today's events weren't the worst that could have happened to us... but I was also certain, that even if darker times should come, I wouldn't need to worry, as long as I had my friends.

* * *

„ _And no one really knows what they are searching for..."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess what everyone... we've reached the end of volume 1 "Tales of a Dragonpath ~ The Disciples of the Last Dragons" *yay* The title of the second volume is "Tales of a Dragonpath ~ Wings of Freedom". I will start working on it soon but first... be prepared for the first part of Sword Art Online ~ Tales of a Dragonpath Bloopers next Friday XD I will make it into a separate fanfic, not put it in here. Really thank you all sooo much for sticking with me this whole time. It's been an awesome ride until now.
> 
> I need to apologize though, because the second volume might not come as fast as the first one has been. I noticed that lots of neat ideas come when I'm taking my time with it and I don't want to miss the opportunities. And besides... I would love to go as fast as I can, but my eyes don't seem to agree with that. I need to stop putting so much strain on them. Don't worry though, I don't think the difference will be that big, you won't have to wait for the next chapters for a month or so.
> 
> I will see you in a week :)


	31. Dawnguard

The vicinity of the Apries Lake was just shaking off the short, morning rain. Water dripped from the leaves and twigs, like tiny droplets of light falling every now and then to the ones already covering the cleansed grass. Nature was still immersed in silence, every little sound, even coming from afar, reached the mansion clear and pure. The sun also started to peek into the windows, along with the scent of lilac and juniper.

"Good morning," Asuna's warm greeting has never been as calming to me as in the past few days, when me and Eugeo brought breakfast to her room. "Thank you so much."

"How are you feeling today?" Eugeo sat down on the chair next to the night table. I chose the free space at the feet of her bed, next to the napping Ronye.

"Much better," Asuna smiled cheerfully, finishing the careful brushing of her marvelous hair.

A week passed since our last encounter with Sharish. Asuna was recovering quickly after this painful experience, thanks to the powers of her sirath and the care of everyone in the mansion.

She was very interested in how exactly we got rid of Sharish and his beasts after she fell into the lake, so I explained what exactly I saw, and Eugeo what he felt. We weren't exactly sure why it was so important, since Chrysheight already explained the reason for the Blue Rose Sword's reaction to us, but today she seemed to have come up with some conclusion.

"Some theories have been loitering in my head recently..." she started, gratefully accepting the cup of tea from Eugeo. "I think what we assumed from Chrysheight's explanation wasn't exactly precise."

"Why?" I raised my eyebrows.

"The reason why Eugeo's sword reacted the way it did, wasn't because of two pieces of the same magic meeting after a long time. It was rather the old magic trapped in the sirath meeting the one in the sword, but the latter has been changed over the years and has taken a new form. It might have been some sort of magical discharge, similar to a thunderbolt. And speaking of thunderbolts... aren't they able to set trees on fire even in rain?"

"Well, yes..." her words sparked a memory in my head and I felt a chill of excitement across my skin. "Wait, you think..."

"I already know," Asuna gave me a happy smile. "The appearance of ice was caused by the connection of two kinds of magic, the one placed in the sirath by the dragons and the one Bercouli used to change crystal into a blade..." She pulled the little bowl of water, that she used to clean her wings with this morning, closer to herself, and took the sirath from her neck. She placed it below the crystalline surface but didn't pull her hand out. "Similarly, when the magic of the dragons meets the magic of a druid..." she brushed the stone with her fingertips and suddenly a tiny flame appeared. Underneath the water. As if it was air instead of liquid in there.

The only reaction from me and Eugeo was our stupid faces, so Asuna continued, her voice giving away an advanced level of amusement: "And no, it won't extinguish after a few seconds. The fire is protected and fed with the magic of the sirath directly."

"So wait," I suddenly understood something, "does that mean it will only work for you two? Because you carry two different types of magic with you?"

"Well..." Asuna seemed to realize it just this moment as well. She looked at me almost apologetically. "I guess that's true..." But before I could start feeling bad about it, she added: "There is no need for it though. You are strong enough as you are. And your strength will definitely be enough to destroy this cursed thing..." she mistrustfully glanced towards the little shard of the Dawn of Earlindon, lying between us on the bed sheets.

"After everything that I've seen until now though, somehow I don't think that simple fire or a hammer would be enough here..." I muttered, poking it with my finger carefully.

"Regarding that..." Eugeo suddenly spoke up, lowering his cup back to his lap, "I think I would rather advice against it in general."

For a moment, there was a hush in the room. The sudden silence made Ronye open her eyes a little bit and start watching us curiously.

"Why?" I finally asked.

"Knowing the unpredictable nature of mages, especially those from the Caydranth lineage, it could be protected by some spells. Some Chrysheight didn't even know about. It could hurt us, who knows, maybe even kill us. I'm kind of hesitant about taking such a risk..."

Asuna watched him for a few moments, contemplating his words. "Could one of you be so kind and bring the Dracascarion from upstairs please?" she suddenly asked. "Maybe there is something mentioned about it there... maybe I overlooked something about the crystals while reading it..."

I nodded and ran upstairs. As soon as I brought the heavy book, Asuna started to leaf through it, skipping some pages almost completely, as if she already knew them by heart, and staying longer on others, analyzing the druid letters as if she was searching for a hidden meaning she believed to have skipped while reading the first time. Finally, she let the book sink a little, sighing with a hint of defeat. "There is nothing about anything like that in here... maybe there isn't really a danger and we are being too careful."

"I still wouldn't want to risk it," insisted Eugeo. "I think it wouldn't hurt to just keep the crystal safe with us for a while, that way Sharish can't access it's powers anyway..."

"Maybe we could ask Chrysheight to look further into it."

"You know I would rather not depend on him..."

I was quiet. I watched the innocent stone, lying on the bed sheets. I wasn't sure, but when Asuna lowered the book a moment ago and it came closer to the crystal, it seemed to me as if it reacted by lighting up with a short, hazy glow...

"What do you think, Kirito?" I heard Asuna's voice, but her question felt irrelevant right now. I grabbed the edges of the Dracascarion and gently took it from her hands. She didn't protest, just watched my doings with slightly raised eyebrows.

Meanwhile I closed the book, took a closer look at it, then turned it around to the backside. There was an inlay of brighter beech in the dark oak of the backcover, forming an ornamental letter "D". I brushed the shape with my fingertips, moved the book closer to the crystal again... and suddenly felt the letter sinking a bit under the slight pressure I was putting on it. Surprised, I retreated my hand and the wooden fragment followed my fingers, revealing a tiny compartment. Inside of it rested a piece of parchment, folded in four, and... a crystal, a little smaller than the one lying on the bed, but there was absolutely no doubt that they were two pieces of the same whole. Both of them glistened like rays of sunlight seeping through spring leaves.

There was another moment of silence, that covered the room.

"You're a genius, you know that?" Asuna finally spoke through it.

"It was just a feeling..." I took the contents of the compartment out and opened the book at its last page. The thickness of the backcover didn't match what was hidden in it at all... "This makes no sense..."

"Just like three quarters of everything that happened in the last few months," Eugeo remarked with a hint of amusement.

Asuna in the meanwhile took the two crystals and opened the book again. She seemed to give something a bit of thought, before she spoke again. "So if the book can react to the magic of the Sunrise, then maybe..." she leafed through it again, to the same page she stopped at before. She held one of the stones close to the script. For a few seconds, nothing happened. And then thin lines started appearing between the verses, getting longer, connecting, forming letters... and suddenly we had a completely different text before our eyes.

We almost stopped moving and breathing when Asuna quickly ran with her slender fingers across the lines. Allowing her to do it in peace was almost strenuous. Finally, she lifted her eyes from the book to look at Eugeo, then at me.

"If what's written here is true, we really shouldn't try to get rid of it..." she said slowly.

"Why?"

"Supposedly, there is something called the Sanctuary of the Dawnguard, a place where the crystals were kept safe by the Caydranth mages for many years... the Last Dragons suspected that a spell was put on them, which would transport the stones into that safe heaven if anyone should attempt to destroy them. It may be just an assumption, but still..."

"If it's true, then trying to destroy them would be like placing them right in Sharish's hands," Eugeo clenched his fingers a bit around the handle of his cup. "Which would make creating more hybrids and who knows what else wonderfully easy for him."

"And would make our lives wonderfully difficult."

"Well then, we should just keep them with us and protect them with all we have I guess... and find that sanctuary."

"Yes, but how?"

In response, Asuna turned the page of the book, and then another. Then she returned to the one with the hidden text and went a few pages back, all the while holding one of the crystals in her hand. But no more bewitched words could be seen. She carefully set the book on one of the pillows and unfolded the piece of parchment that was hidden in the backcover. There were just a few lines written on it, formed by slender letters, more delicate than would be possible with the thinnest of feathers, written with black ink that turned reddish with the passing of time.

Asuna started to translate. "We wait for you in the city, where we welcome the day with a show of pearly light... We stealthy come there during night... we breathe the essence of earth at dawn... and before noon, alas, we're gone... The next piece of our enemy's power we shall give to you... so it can not to the green summits of the disinherited ruler return..."

We fell silent yet again.

"I know this is nothing new by now..." I started, staring at the unfamiliar symbols on the parchment, "but I don't understand anything as usual..."

Even so, I had the feeling that something stirred in my memory, as if I wasn't hearing these words for the first time...

"Why write in riddles or hide a part of the text, if only a druid would be able to read it anyway?" Asuna apparently shared my opinion. "I swear, the further into the forest, the more trees..."

"Maybe we should take a look at a map of Earlindon, see if that brings any ideas," Eugeo stood up. "I'll be right back."

I escorted him to the door with my gaze. I wasn't sure, but it seemed to me as if Eugeo got a little pale, and I noticed something akin to anxiety in his green eyes...

When he brought the map from the library upstairs and carefully spread it out on the bed, all three of us leaned over it. Ronye just watched us sleepily, not really interested. The map was very detailed and beautifully decorated. We searched for a spot that could be suitable to start our search from for a moment. We didn't find it.

"Maybe it's about an island?" Asuna finally spoke up, pointing at an irregular shape surrounded by azure, bearing the name 'Vernet', drawn a little below the eastern edge of the Silivren Forest. "The sea is what I would associate pearls with..."

"Me too, but why would that 'pearly light' come at night and vanish before noon every day? This has to be some kind of metaphor..."

"Maybe it's about the capital?" I looked to the tiny drawing of the royal castle. "Some people were walking around there adorned with jewels like bushes with gooseberries. I'm pretty sure there were some pearls among those..."

"But that still leaves the issue of vanishing every day... or maybe the trade in the capital is meant, you know, trading goods for jewels?"

"There are too much of those 'maybe's'..."

I sighed and skimmed through the depiction of the land a bit further. I admired the meticulously drawn trees of the Silivren Forest, then my gaze slipped along the silvery coast of the sea towards the east, past a lake and the harbor city Leeshan...

"Something wrong?" asked Asuna, when I frowned and leaned closer to the parchment.

"Tacritia..." my finger rested on the name of a pretty big, seaside city further to the east. "Isn't that city sometimes called 'The City of Pearls'?"

Eugeo raised his eyebrows. "I'm not sure, but I think I've really heard of it... I have no idea why it's called that though."

"I read about it once... yeah, I'm pretty sure it was one of those books that my tutor told me to put back to the shelf as meaningless and silly. It was about a traveling troupe that settled down there for a while and eventually decided to stay for good, which resulted in the founding of the city..." I took a brief moment to recall the words through the chaos that my returning memory caused back then. "'We never even noticed until sunrise came... it was like they used the night to sneak up on us. But once light greeted the world, they responded with a sparkle more beautiful than a royal treasury... It didn't last long, but we longed to enjoy it again... so we stayed for another night... and then another... and then we stayed for the rest of our lives...'"

"And such useful verses can be found while being captured in luxurious royal chambers against ones will?" Asuna eyed me with amused admiration.

I laughed. "Thank Chrysheight. He probably had no idea that thanks to his little prank, I would familiarize myself with something that would put us on the right track now."

"Instead of learning how to rule the land you mean."

"I never wanted to do it anyway, even when I still had no idea who I really was."

"But maybe we could use this somehow too," Eugeo interjected suddenly. "After all, the king died 'childless' just recently, everyone thinks his 'son' shared the same fate or vanished forever. If he was suddenly found... maybe you could invoke your right to rule and organize some forces that could stand against Sharish and whatever he's still about to conjure up..."

"That would be just pure swindle," I wasn't sure if he was joking or being totally serious. "Besides, I really don't feel any urge to go back to what I've been through there... and I don't want to put simple people at risk of experiencing something so horrible. The conflict with Sharish may be inevitable, but I want to believe the battle is still optional."

"You're right, I'm sorry. It was silly of me."

"It's alright," I soothed, but still watched him a bit unsurely. "Oberon must have had some relatives, I'm sure someone will soon take care of everything. If it hasn't already happened."

"Most probably..."

I couldn't hold it back anymore. "Eugeo... are you alright?"

My friend seemed to hesitate shortly, before he gave me a gentle smile. "I just thought of how much you've changed since our first meeting."

"I've changed? How so?"

"You were asking questions back then... now you're answering them."

"I told you, he's growing up," Asuna smiled and closed the Dracascarion. "We should give Tacritia a try. Even if we still don't know what the riddle means or why the city is called The City of Pearls, I think it's a good place to start."

"And maybe we can find some information about the Sanctuary as we go."

"Hopefully."

"Well then, it's up to you now when we can set sail, Asuna."

She gave me an innocent smile. "It would go quicker if you would bring me another piece of tart from Kaan."

I stood up and bowed slightly. "As you wish, my lady."

Before I left the room, I caught a sleepy, pleading glance from Ronye, so I made a mental note to bring some milk with honey with me as well.

* * *

„ _There gather up in Droplets_

_Your Wisdom as a Rain..."_


	32. The Shadow of Death

It didn't take Asuna long to recover fully, and despite Kaan's persuasions to take it easy, we started the preparations for the impatiently awaited trip to Tacritia. This time Asuna decided to not take Ronye with us. It was simply too dangerous, given the fact that Sharish was looking for the shards of the Sunrise as well, and a meeting with him was way too risky. And way too likely. Luckily Kaan offered to take good care of her, and the young sykerien decided to not complain too much this time. We ate one last breakfast together, said our goodbyes and set off. Eugeo, who had studied the map of Earlindon as carefully as possible in the past few days, lead us south-east.

Unfortunately, we weren't allowed to go far without hindrances.

After just about an hour of flight above the familiar by now expanses of green, we noticed blurry, slender ribbons of black smoke rising from the ground not far ahead...

"What is that place?" Asuna squinted a bit.

I suddenly felt an unpleasant, cold chill. I knew this vicinity... behind the river, at the border of the forest...

"It's Ioreth..." I whispered.

"Sorry?"

"That's Ioreth, I'm sure of it!" without thinking much, I sped up and darted towards the capital.

"Kirito wait!" I heard Eugeo's shout behind me.

But I wasn't listening. I had a bad feeling. I wasn't exactly sure why, but... I somehow felt that this was a very bad sign. I went a bit lower, and when the city came into view entirely, I stopped, feeling the blood drain from my face.

Ashes... as far as the eye could see, just smoldering rubble, no sign of buildings they once were, no sign of humans who lived in them... The fire was still flickering here and there, reflecting off of fragments of windows, that had the luck to survive partially. When the movement of air allowed it, they reflected the ruins nearby, the incinerated trunks of trees and the innocent azure of the sky above...

I slowly let myself sink to the smoldering remains, feeling faint. A whole, huge city... the capital of our land, which I witnessed so lively, colorful and loud not so long ago... now reduced to debris... and only the toppled, shattered sun dial, which once adorned the middle of the plaza, was now trying to stop the time...

My friends soon joined me.

"What in the world happened here...?" whispered Asuna, looking around in terror.

"Whatever it was, it must have happened some days ago," Eugeo kneeled down and examined the ash-covered dirt. "It must have been a really enormous fire..."

I remembered something. The royal castle... without a word I ascended into the air again and looked to the north. As I feared, I saw equally depressing ruins in the place it once stood... but...

"That wasn't just a simple fire..." I muttered, when my companions caught up with me once more. "Have you ever seen a fire that destroyed a whole city and a castle, without touching a single tree of the forest separating them and practically clinging to them...?"

"What are you getting at?" the tone of Eugeo's voice gave away, that he already knew what I meant.

"Sharish..." Asuna's silent whisper was almost a hateful hiss.

I sighed heavily and fell to the ground again. I wanted to check if we would be able to find any clues that would confirm this theory. I landed in the middle of the royal garden's remnants. The ground was grayish, the surrounding forest silent, only the nettles at its border emitted a sharp scent. A big part of the free space was covered by elongated mounds of earth...

"Are those... graves?" Asuna asked almost inaudibly. Her voice was shaky, as if she was about to faint.

"It looks like it. I bet this is just a small part of the victims though... Most of them must have found their tombs underneath the ruins..."

"But if some were buried afterwards, that must mean that some survived. But where did they go to...?"

Asuna carefully walked a few steps, examining the ground, the singed tree trunks and finally the boulders that were once the walls of the castle. "Twenty... maybe thirty people. They were here about a week ago... and it seems like they headed south."

"A week?" I raised my eyebrows. "But the fire..."

"It was partially caused by magic. That's why there is still glow here and there. Which all the more convinces me, that this was all Sharish's doing..."

"But how do you know all of this?"

She gave me a sad smile. "The dirt is not a book, but you can still read a lot from it, if you know its language."

"I see..."

"Wherever these unfortunate souls have gone too, may stars shine at the end of their way..." embitterment was clearly audible in Eugeo's voice. "Let's go. There's nothing for us to do here anymore..."

"Except for looking for trouble. Who knows if there are still some dragonnes around..."

I cast a melancholic glance towards my favorite old willow. Even she seemed to be distressed by what she had witnessed here. The wind moved the delicate twigs a bit, eliciting a gentle rustle that sounded like a lullaby for the dead... I turned my gaze away and followed my friends before tears could come up to my eyes.

We were quiet for a big part of that day. Eugeo and Asuna must have been struggling to throw the image of Ioreth out of their heads just like I was. It was hard to comprehend how someone could be this cruel... On the other hand, we didn't yet know what we would have to do to Sharish in order to stop him. Who knows, maybe we would have to be equally ruthless... I shook my head slightly, responded to Eugeo's concerned glance with a reassuring smile and dipped my wing slightly to fly closer to him.

After reaching the sea, we changed direction slightly and flew along the shore straight to the east from then on. The beautiful landscapes that Earlindon started to reveal before our eyes caused the atmosphere to ease bit by bit. There were gentle hills spreading below, followed by meadows covered in countless wild flowers, among which dominated early blooming and fragile as glass heather. Medicinal herbs were gaining strength in the warm sun rays at the borders of small tree clusters, near water the terrain sunk towards golden seaside dunes. The infinite surface of the water reflected the even more infinite sky, but it was most impressive at night. The hum of waves didn't entirely reach to higher altitudes, and when we allowed ourselves to fly out farther above the waters after sunset, we had the feeling of being suspended between two night skies. Even the dunes, bathed in the silvery light of the moon, resembled the brighter band of stars that can sometimes be seen in the sky.

Our journey lasted three days. We spent the nights in small groves we spotted on the ground, and enjoyed our meal breaks at the seashore. The air seemed to be a bit cooler and more aromatic there, compared to inland. On our way we passed a large lake, to which a broad river mooning around from the centre of the country lead its waters to. It was connected to the sea with a short channel on the opposite side, its bank being guarded by a screen of low trees.

The third day was rather cool and windy, with occasional drizzle coming from the sky, but it cleared up in the evening, a beautiful, summer night approaching. And with it came the first view of a big city's outline in the distance.

Upon noticing it, me and Asuna stopped the silly game of tag in the air, which was the result of being bored out of our wits by the unproductive watching of Earlindon's fairy-tale-like landscapes. We followed the example of Eugeo, who ascended a bit higher, so that no accidental stare could spot us in the sky.

From above, Tacritia resembled something akin to an irregular chess board made of darker and brighter roofs of buildings. There was one structure much larger than the others in the eastern part of the city, more vivid and slender. Its spire was casting a long, already faint shadow parallel to the seashore. One weird feature to it was a tiny stream, that seemingly flowed from underneath the structure... it wandered in the middle of a broad alley towards the river, that embraced the city with its azure waters from the west. That river connected with the sea, already darkening in the fading sun, in a small port that was set a little aside from the city. Anchored boats rocked on the small waves, their masts glittering with goldish silver. Even the little promenade presented itself beautifully. It was elevated a little more above the water's surface than the city was, the pillars supporting it forming a picturesque colonnade along the shore. All of it, adorned with green lawns and bushes of elderberry, emanated tranquility.

"That bigger building seems to be something like a temple," murmured Asuna, looking down.

"I think it is. As far as I know, they worship the sea god Siracel here," Eugeo proved to be a walking library once more.

"I'm not sure, but this somehow doesn't look like a place where people fish out pearls..."

"We won't know for sure as long as we're hanging here like that. Come on, let's take a closer look."

I hesitated. "Go... I'll wait here," I tried to not sound morose, but it didn't quite work.

My friends looked at me in confusion. "Why would we..." started Asuna, but I cut her off.

"I can't just parade in there with my wings like that. You can hide them, so go."

"And what will you do while we're there?" Eugeo seemed unsure about leaving me alone.

"I don't know... I will probably just hide somewhere nearby and wait. And rest too, I'm tired."

Asuna nodded reluctantly. "We will just try to get some information today. We will spend the night in the open and will think further tomorrow. Can you find some place to camp?"

I nodded and watched my friends fall towards the ground. They landed behind the fields of maturing wheat, calcinating in the last sun rays, stretching along the riverbank towards the north from the city. They hid their wings and made their way to the gate. I observed their tiny silhouettes meandering between the buildings in the direction of the presumed temple. Only when they disappeared in the shadow of the slender construction, I tore my eyes away from it and looked around.

Close to the spot where Eugeo and Asuna landed, I noticed a small cluster of trees on a tiny, irregularly shaped hill. Its slope was gentle only on the side that faced the sea, and it seemed perfect for hiding and watching the gates in peace. I lazily traversed the small distance and landed on one of the trees, letting the lush foliage shield me with the welcoming smell of aquilarias. I made myself comfortable on one of the more solid branches and relaxed my tired wings with a satisfied sigh. I took some of the dry provisions Asuna and Kaan prepared for our journey and started dinner without turning my gaze away from the city.

When the sun definitively disappeared behind the horizon, and gray, summer dusk started to envelop Earlindon, I sighed in resignation. Even if I didn't want to show or admit it, I was irritated by the fact that I couldn't go with my companions. I peeked out from beneath the branches and looked at the sky. First stars were already appearing above my head and a pleasant chill started to creep up from the sea.

The night was beautiful, warm and surprisingly silent. The walls of the city were soon enveloped by a low mist coming from the meadows. When the darkness has become whole, and the only thing I saw were the blurry lights of torches illuminating the city's streets, two silhouettes appeared in the gate. I lazily left my hideout, and when they ventured outside of the guards' eyes reach, I joined them.

"I was afraid we will have to look for you in this darkness," Asuna seemed relieved. She had some kind of long cloth hanging on her left shoulder, which she partially held in her hands so that it didn't drag on the ground after her.

"Did you manage to learn something?" I asked.

"It turned out the priests in the temple know the overall situation quite well," explained Eugeo. "We can ask them about details tomorrow... we didn't want them to waste their effort on telling everything to just the two of us."

"But how am I supposed to get in there?"

"Through the front gate, with style," laughed Asuna. "In an hour or two, when most of the residents will be sleeping, we can return to the temple together."

"And what if not everyone will be lying in their beds and someone sees me? Not like it would result in some tragedy, but people tend to react in various ways..."

"I think you will be seen sooner or later anyway, but the later, the better. Which is why we got this," Asuna carefully took the fabric from her shoulder and handed it to me. "I admit you will still look a little strange, but you won't be standing out that much. And shouldn't raise any alarms."

"Fine..."

We sat at the border of the tree cluster and waited until most of Tacritia's lights died out. I asked my friends what they were able to learn, but it turned out to be annoyingly little. Most of the time spent there, they were answering the questions of the priests, rather than the other way around. The only concrete information they brought with them was the one about the shard of the Sunrise being hidden somewhere in the basement of the temple.

When the night finally matured and the moon leaned out from behind the cloudlets sailing in the south-east, the mist wafting on the foregrounds of the city gave us a silvery, shimmering signal. I threw the "cloak" over myself and when Asuna helped me to drape it neatly on my wings, we headed towards the gate.

When we were just a few dozen meters away from it, I cast an unsure glance towards Eugeo.

"Don't worry about the guards," he whispered soothingly even before I could open my mouth. "The priests said they would send someone who will tell them to let us in."

I just nodded.

Indeed, as we approached the gateway, a young man suddenly appeared in it. He wore a delicate, sky-blue vesture with pearl-white adornments. "Come this way please," he said when we came closer. His voice was gentle and soft, as was the gaze of his bright eyes.

We followed him inside the city. The guards let us pass without a word, as if they didn't even notice us. A thought crossed my mind that the people connected to the temple must have quite some influence on other citizens...

We went down the main street until it met the alley with the little stream that we saw from above earlier. It was reflecting the sparkle of the stars, flowing in a shallow channel made of neatly laid, nearly white stones, which probably made the water warm up quite quickly in the sun. The banks were planted with aromatic juniper. The alley was full of shadows, dispersed only by occasional torches placed in regular intervals at the openings of back alleys and casting hazy, orange circles of light. The temple at the end was still clearly visible, its facade so bright, that on the background of the grey city walls and black night, it almost hurt the eyes. Its entrance was guarded by two statues of the half-naked, shapely sea god.

I had to suddenly tear my eyes away from the majestic building. The short silhouette of an elderly man emerged from one of the small side streets. I pressed my wings tighter to my body, covering myself tighter with the cloth in fear.

"Don't worry," I heard Eugeo's whisper. "You said yourself that no tragedy would result from it."

But I would gladly have taken those words back, if I knew beforehand what happened the next moment.

When we passed the unfortunate pedestrian, trying to not stand out too much, the old man suddenly turned around to look at us again and we heard his silent, trembling voice: "Young master Kazuto...?"

I stopped without really knowing what I was doing. For a second everything went dark before my eyes. It was impossible... this just couldn't be happening...

"Kirito?" Asuna's uncertain voice reached me at last.

Not knowing what else I could do, I covered my head with the hood, grabbed confused Eugeo by his sleeve and pulled, trying to force him to keep going. He obliged without a word. Only Asuna hesitated for a moment, before quickly following us.

Only after we found shelter in the cool walls of the temple, Eugeo decided to ask: "What was that about?"

I didn't answer. Instead I turned to the young priest who lead us here, and looked equally confused. "Did... did some news about the unpleasant events in the capital reach Tacritia recently?"

"Unfortunately, yes..." the unusual amber color of his eyes seemed to darken with sadness. "Some of Ioreth's citizens managed to escape that tragedy. They arrived just yesterday, seeking help and shelter..."

"Please don't wear our guests with this sad story at this hour, dear Renly," we suddenly heard someone's calm, low voice.

A tall man with grey hair, tied in a lax ponytail emerged from the dark interior of the temple. Judging by his richly ornamented gown, intimidating presence and revered, but gentle gaze, he had to be the archpriest. There was an amulet shaped like a droplet of water hanging on his neck, and made of thin, blue glass. "I'm sure they are tired, lets allow them to rest first," he smiled slightly. "It is late, you should also retire for the night."

The young priest bowed. "Of course, master Heathcliff..." He wished us a good night and soon disappeared in one of the dark hallways.

"Please forgive us..." the archpriest spoke again. "Allow me to show you to our modest rooms. I will answer all of your questions tomorrow, when we all will be at our best strength."

"Very well, but... Kirito..." Asuna glanced at me again.

"Our host is right," I interrupted her quietly, wanting to avoid this topic at any cost. "We should get some sleep first."

Her quietest, apologetic "Sorry" reached only my ears.

I didn't sleep much that night. I spent most of it lying on the bed in a small room, looking at the sky-blue ceiling. I didn't expect things to take this kind of turn... the survivors from Ioreth seeking shelter right here, in Tacritia, one of them recognizing me after all this time...

What if the man told other people from the capital about what he saw...? What's more, if that information spread across the whole City of Pearls... what then? If they assumed they've found the lost son of the king, who I never was... I couldn't just take the throne of Earlindon, I couldn't even imagine doing that... and I didn't even want to think about their reaction if they found out I'm the Disciple of Sariarin the Black Dragon...

Theoretically I could just stay in the temple from now on and sneak out with Eugeo and Asuna as soon as we get the shard from the underground... Or I could just tell them the whole truth... but what would their reactions be if they found out they were deceived by the "royal family" for two whole years...?

I sighed so heavily I got worried Eugeo might have heard it in his room across the hallway. I shielded myself from the light of the moon with one wing. The gentle breeze that tasted like sea water was sneaking inside through the window, along with the silent whisper of the brook flowing out of the temple. Somewhere in the dark of the night a horse snored shortly, probably making the sleep of a stable boy lighter for a brief moment. Minutes passed and I finally decided to stop worrying and accept whatever may come. Shortly after, a restless sleep managed to overcome me...

* * *

„ _Why can't they understand the way we feel...?_

_They just don't trust what they can't explain…_

_I know we're different but deep inside us…_

_We're not that different at all…"_


	33. The City of Pearls

It was still very early, when I got woken up by a silent knock on my door. I turned to my other side and pulled the blanket over my head. I really didn't feel like getting up yet... Even more so because a cool, morning mist was intruding into the room like a ghost, through the carelessly left open window. Another knock forced me to finally sit up, drag myself out of bed and walk over to the door.

The face of the young priest Renly was the first thing I saw after opening it.

"I'm sorry to wake you at this hour..." he started. "Would you mind accompanying me despite the time? I would like to show you something..."

I was too sleepy to argue, and unconscious enough to let myself be lead through the dark, creaky hallway. The young priest guided me across the first floor, where the faces of some godly paintings watched us from the semi-darkness, and then up some stairs. And suddenly, to my surprise, I found myself standing on the roof of the Sinacel temple.

The fresh air of the morning cast some color onto my cheeks and brought me to my senses. I was surprised at the discovery that it was still grayish outside, the day was only just starting to fight the battle with night, and the city, except for the harbor, seemed to still be in the state of deep sleep. Despite the horridly early hour, there were already two bright stains of sails out in the waters. Only a faint, orange mist was looming above the mountains far far to the east, where the sun was still lurking. I had felt that it's early, but I didn't expect it to be _this_ early... I was beginning to wonder what the young priest could possibly want from me at such an unbearable time, in such an unusual place.

"What is it that you want to show me?" I tried to not allow the irritation from lack of sleep overpower the curiosity in my voice.

"I wanted you to see why this city is called the City of Pearls," Renly crossed his arms on his chest. "You will see in a few minutes."

I glanced at him skeptically, then took a look around.

The landscape was becoming brighter pretty quickly, and a thicker, silvery mist started to creep up from the sea, reaching almost half up the city's walls at some spots. I bravely held back my sleepy yawning, wondering where all of this was supposed to lead us and whether or not I should just return to my bed, when finally...

The edge of the sun passed over the distant peaks.

As the first, golden rays flooded the crystal surface of the water and the surrounding sands and meadows, I saw what was probably the most wondrous sight I ever witnessed in my entire life.

A gentle breeze came flying from above the sea, the gold of the fields bordering on the city in the north waved, as if some huge, furry animal was lying there, still sleeping. The morning mist spread over the vicinity quickly started to settle, leaving tiny droplets of water on everything it touched: blades of grass, leaves of the brushes, grains of sand and windowsills of the houses... The bright rays of the sun started to reflect and refract in those tiny droplets, creating a fairy-tale-like impression of millions of beautiful pearls spread everywhere around us...

"So that's why..." I whispered in awe, unwittingly coming closer to the edge of the roof.

"Yes, that's why," confirmed the young priest quietly. "There were never any real pearls in this city to begin with. The mist that comes from the sea is a bit different than the mist that comes to life inland. If you would take a closer look at the droplets you would notice, that they aren't exactly transparent, but a bit cloudy. I don't know why, but this is the only seaside place in Earlindon where such mists occur."

"Excuse me for a moment," I said, climbing the low wall resembling a rampart, that encircled the roof of the temple, "but I need to take a look at it from a different angle.

Not waiting for Renly's reaction, I leaped from the roof and ascended into the sky. I swept in a wide circle high above Tacritia and came to a stop to take a look at it from above. The meadows adjacent to the city in the east started to emit an intoxicating scent due to the humidity and the sun's warmth, among which the most dominating was the smell of mint. I couldn't get enough of this view. It was like... magic, just without magic.

I forced myself to get back to earth after a few minutes. I didn't want to risk anyone seeing me. When I landed on the roof of the temple again, Renly smiled. "Like it?"

"That's one hell of an understatement," I wasn't able to tear my eyes away from it, just tried to engrave the image into my mind.

"I hope it will help you get your head sorted out enough to cope with that thing from yesterday properly," I suddenly heard a deep voice, so unlike the gentle one of the young priest.

I turned my head, surprised. Where Renly stood just a moment ago, I suddenly saw a familiar, tall figure, looking down at me with that hawk-like gaze...

"You!" I blurted out, barely managing to stop myself from taking a step back.

"Nonsense, I just look similar," Chrysheight laughed at me. "I can't believe you're still so gullible. You allow an unknown man to drag you out of bed before dawn, lead you to who knows where and you're even happy about it... Sometimes I wonder if you're just naïve, or if you have a death wish."

I choose to ignore that statement. "What are you doing here? And how did you manage to sneak into the temple?"

"You know I have my ways. I thought it would be fun to take the place of one of the priests here for a while, and this youngling, Renly, seemed like an interesting pick..."

"Don't tell me you actually..."

"Oh, he's alright, don't panic. He will return to the temple as soon as I leave it. You really think I'm that ruthless?"

"Yes," I didn't even need to think about my answer.

"Why thank you."

"Why are you even here?"

"I found out where you should direct your next steps to and thought you might be interested... And I wanted to see how you will handle this 'young master Kazuto' problem."

"How about you spare me the trouble of counting out all of the reasons why all of this is your fault," I couldn't stop my voice from getting harsher.

"Dear Kirito, is the color and shape of the pebble that started the avalanche really the most important thing?" he turned his unconcerned gaze towards the sea.

I sighed heavily. "Where do we need to search next then?"

"I would like to reveal that to all of you, and I don't like repeating myself... so how about we return downstairs for breakfast and wait for the rest of your happy bunch?"

"Fine..."

I cast one last glance towards the fabulous landscape and the burning circle of the sun, that was loosing more and more of its crimson tone as it climbed up the sky, and let Chrysheight lead me downstairs again, after he's taken the form of the young priest once more. Soon, we entered a small dining room, which, at this hour, was still empty. Only the golden rays of sunlight, sifted through the leaves of a maple tree growing outside, entered the chamber and marked the wall with irregular stains.

"What would you prefer to drink to breakfast?" asked 'Renly'. "Juice, tea, or maybe you fancy wine?"

"No," I whined, disarmed by his casual behavior. "And I'm not hungry."

The mage laughed at me again. "You don't have to be afraid of me poisoning you. Maybe you will feel tempted once you've seen some of the local delicacies."

Despite the food that he brought from the temple pantry looking really delicious, I didn't touch anything. And not because I was afraid of poison. Since the encounter on our way through the city yesterday night I felt like something was gripping my stomach way too tightly... It loosened up a tiny bit after the visit to the temple's roof, but still... I only poured myself a bit of milk to a wooden cup and started sipping it unhurriedly, while 'Renly' decided to wake Eugeo and Asuna. After returning he sat at the table, opposite of me.

"They will be here in a few minutes," he said, taking on his real form again.

Those transformations still managed to make me get lost in admiration, even though I saw his magic a few times already. I couldn't stand this guy, but I had to admit he was insufferably good at what he was doing. And it didn't help that I was under the impression he was still learning and getting better.

"Well then, what do you plan to do with it?" he spoke again after a few moments.

"With what?" I mumbled, watching the contents of my cup sleepily.

Chrysheight gave the ceiling an ostentatious look. "With the food," he threw at me sarcastically. "Wake up already, I'm talking about the fact that probably half of the city already knows that the descendant of the royal lineage has suddenly appeared in Tacritia."

I shot him an irritated stare. For a moment I considered making use of the knife lying next to my plate. But then I came to the conclusion that Asuna wouldn't forgive me for eliminating such a brilliant source of information, so I decided to arm myself with words only for this conversation. I leaned my chin on my hand and nonchalantly glanced to the side, not wanting to look him in the eyes.

"It was just one man that saw me, he was old, sleepy, and the street was dark, so there is no telling whether or not you're right," I answered coldly. "I have no idea what brought the survivors from Ioreth to seek shelter here of all places, but as far as I know there are not many of them, I will sneak out somehow."

"Coincidence is a scary phenomenon..."

"Stop joking around! Besides I have no idea why you of all people are worrying about it this much."

"You're so courteous..." the mage seemed amused, as always. "I don't understand how someone who seems so nice could be this impolite."

"It's because you're an absolute genius when it comes to putting people out of patience," I didn't give my choice of words much thought.

Chrysheight, wearing an expression as if he just heard a splendid compliment, mimicked my gesture of propping the chin on one hand and leaned towards me a bit above the table. "But I'm helping you, aren't I?" his hawk-like gaze sunk into me, challenging me to deny it.

I took a deeper breath, but suddenly didn't know what to do with it. What saved me from this awkward situation was the muffled voice of Eugeo and Asuna's pearly laugh, which came from the hallway leading to the stairs. I blinked, still looking at Chrysheight, who rose an eyebrow, before we both glanced towards the entrance to the dining room. A moment later Asuna appeared in the doorway, arm locked with and leading my very sleepy looking friend.

When he saw us both sitting at a stacked table as if nothing was wrong, he woke up immediately. Luckily for all of us, Asuna gripped his forearm firmer and completely calmly. Unlike Eugeo, she seemed not very surprised by the mage's appearance. After all, there were really few things that could throw off her equilibrium.

"What are you doing here?" asked Eugeo finally, not hiding his dissatisfaction. Clearly this wasn't something he was happy to see first thing in the morning.

"We're having breakfast, isn't it obvious?" Chrysheight was completely undisturbed.

"Don't lie, none of us touched anything..."

Eugeo didn't answer, just sat down at a spot at the table farthest away from the mage. Asuna sighed quietly in resignation and took a seat between them.

"I hope that your appearance here means you've found out something new," Eugeo switched to the cold and indifferent tone that I hated so much.

"Indeed, I know more or less where the next shard can be found."

"Good, then kindly tell us, and you can go."

Chrysheight suddenly turned to Asuna. "Is such ingratitude and gruffness normal for those two?" he asked curiously, as if me and Eugeo weren't even present. I almost felt that he wanted to add 'If so, then I sympathize with you'.

Asuna rose her eyebrows a little and laughed shortly after a moment. "No," she tried to take on a conciliatory tone. Eugeo just let out a spectacular sigh suggesting deep irritation, which she ignored. "They will get over it once you've gone. But returning to the topic..."

"The stone is most probably hidden in the Dragon Mountains."

"That's not very far from here..."

"Wait, in the mountains?" I forgot I wanted to act offended for a moment. "Can you even reasonably hide something in wild mountains? I mean, when you know you will send someone on a search for it decades later..."

"Yes, in fact," Chrysheight politely started to explain. "Because it's those mountains that conceal countless caves and tunnels, the remnants of dragon residences. Supposedly, it's a whole labyrinth of caverns, and maybe even real chambers and treasuries. Almost a whole kingdom sculptured out of stone."

"Oh, so that's where the name comes from..."

"And may I ask where you got this information from?" Asuna got a little suspicious.

"I've spent quite a lot of time with observing Sharish lately, and found out quite a lot of things. Among those being, that he's almost sure the shard is hidden in those mountains, and he plans to visit them. If it's true, it would be better if you got there before him. Besides... I think it's better for you to know that your trouble increased in size." When Asuna tipped her head slightly in a silent question, he answered: "Sharish acquired another shard of the Sunrise."

Asuna sucked in a breath and I felt my hand involuntarily clench on top of the table.

"What's more," continued Chrysheight, "it turned out that he concealed the Heart of the Sunrise in a place called the Sanctuary of..."

"Do you know where it is?" I cut him off.

He shot me a curious glance. "So you already know more than I have expected. Then you probably already guessed, that it was him who razed Ioreth to the ground in order to test out his new capabilities."

"Did you see it happen? We weren't sure, he didn't leave any traces beside the ruins, graves and stains of blood..."

"I saw it, there is no doubt."

"And of course you did nothing to prevent it from happening," this accusation was the first sound that Eugeo gave from him in the past few minutes.

"If you feel like facing two dozens of dragonnes and a crazy mage single-handed, I'll gladly watch that. Just let me know when you gather up the courage to do it."

"Oh, so there is something you're afraid of?"

"You know, there is a subtle difference between courage and stupidity..."

"Enough!" Asuna's patience suddenly ran out.

There was a sudden, pleasant hush above the table. Eugeo and Chrysheight hung their heads like scolded boys.

"Did you, by any chance, find out where the sanctuary is located?" I couldn't tell now if Asuna was more irritated, or more amused.

"Well, I've heard some things, and I have my suspicions..."

"Like what?" I asked.

"If you know about the Sanctuary, then I assume you've also heard about it 'being guarded by green hills, which hide the residence of the disinherited ruler'?"

"No..."

"Well..." Chrysheight suddenly stood up, as if sensing some change in the atmosphere. I had to admit, I felt it too, but had no idea where it came from. "I think this 'disinherited ruler' is the one who could help you with that... if you manage to find him and make him talk. Not to mention, he could help you with this 'young master Kazuto' issue."

"What are you..." I didn't even know what I should ask anymore.

"Excuse me, but I think it's about time young Renly returned to the temple, and I to my own business."

He gave us a little, theatrical bow, at the end of which his gaze met Eugeo's irritated stare. The mage smiled and vanished, leaving the usual tiny token.

"Does he really have to complicate things every time instead of explaining them?" I asked, shoving the feather away from me with an annoyed flick of my wrist. It made its way towards Eugeo, who casually raised his hand... and the next moment the feather was incinerated by a small and short, but violent outburst of flame.

"Eugeo..." Asuna frowned a little, somewhere between surprised and worried.

I gave him a confused look as well. "Do you know what this madman meant?" I asked, trying to look my friend in the eyes.

But Eugeo stood up, turning his head away a little. "No," his answer was short and sharp, as he made his way towards the door.

I immediately felt the crystal beneath my shirt heat up.

"Eugeo...!" I shouted after him, standing up so abruptly that it was a miracle I didn't knock my chair over.

Our friend paused in the doorway for a moment, but didn't turn around to face us. "I need some fresh air. I will be back in a few minutes," he said quietly, before disappearing.

"What happened to him...?" Asuna's question was very quiet. She seemed a little scared.

I clenched my fingers around the stone on my neck. "He understood Chrysheight's words," I tried not to sound angry, but it didn't quite work. "He knows something and doesn't want to tell us."

"But... why?"

"Sorry, but you're asking the wrong person..."

A sudden sound of footsteps reached our ears from the direction of the hallway, and a moment later archpriest Heathcliff appeared in the dining room door.

"Good morning," he greeted us, seeming a little surprised at seeing us there. "You've awoken quite early... who prepared breakfast for you?"

I looked at the table, so neatly set by Chrysheight. "It... it was Renly," I stammered out.

"Oh, yes, he's an early bird indeed..." the priest smiled, not suspecting anything. "And where would venerable Eugeo be? Is he asleep still?"

"No, he... left for a moment," it was Asuna's turn to stutter. "He wanted to take a walk, but said he will be back soon."

"I see. I assume you would prefer to descend into the crypts as soon as possible."

"We would be grateful."

"In the meantime..." I finally sat down again, "could you please tell us how many citizens from Ioreth managed to survive the tragedy and come here?"

"They weren't many. Around thirty people, mainly women and only a few children. They said that the capital was attacked by some monsters... The inhabitants tried to defend the city, they were determined, strong and courageous... but not as strong as those, who invaded them...

"I don't think there are many, who can face Sharish's hybrids..."

"Hybrids?" the priest seemed surprised. "I always thought it was impossible to create them, that the books telling about it were simple legends."

"Yes, what Sharish is doing was long considered impossible. And I worry, that he is no longer just a normal mage. His abilities start to surpass imagination... But since we're talking about Ioreth already, Kirito, this 'Kazuto'... isn't that what..."

"Yes, that was the name of king Oberon's son," I interrupted Asuna's loud thinking, casting her a warning glance. I wanted to avoid revealing the truth to anyone else.

"Kazuto?" the dark, wise and calm eyes of the archpriest watched us carefully for a moment, before he took a seat as well. "I heard that he was kidnapped from the royal castle some time ago. Do you know any details about that, by chance?"

"Not really," I lied. Every mention of that name was like a sip of sour wine. "The news reached us relatively late, I admit..."

"And we doubt that there is still any chance that he will be found," we suddenly heard a gentle voice.

I turned my head slightly. I saw Eugeo standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame. He looked like nothing at all happened. His expression was calm and kind as always, his eyes didn't show the slightest shadow of the anger that he left with a few minutes ago. As if he took it outside and left it in the street somewhere.

He joined us and sat at Asuna's side. She looked at him for a long moment, searching for an answer in his face, but didn't find any. And he just smiled at her reassuringly, as if wanting to put her mind at ease. Upon seeing that I let out an inaudible sigh of relief. But I didn't forget the lie.

I postponed it though and turned to the archpriest again. "The shard is in the crypts then?"

"Yes. I didn't ever set foot in there, only the Disciples of the Last Dragons can do that. My predecessor, who took care of the temple told me, that there are powerful spells guarding the underground. I heard that there were a few people crazy enough to make themselves out to be Disciples and tried to seek a treasure they believed lies hidden there. Some of them were allowed to enter the crypts... none of them ever returned."

I looked to my companions. Worry must have been evident on my face, because the archpriest smiled kindly and added: "I think you three have nothing to fear though," he glanced past my shoulder at my wings. "I'm sure I can let you enter without remorse."

"Let's not waste time then," Asuna stood up. "We have one more destination after this, the quicker we do it, the better."

"Come along then."

We allowed Heathcliff to lead us through the bright hallways of the temple. As we went, we passed a little group of younger priests, heading for the dining room. Finally, our host came to a stop in front of one of the doors somewhere deeper in the house of god. There were remnants of some old inscriptions engraved on their austere portal. The archpriest took a small, silver key out of the folds of his robe and opened them. We saw narrow, spiraling stairs leading down, into darkness.

"Be careful, the stairs are quite smooth, it's easy to hurt oneself here," he warned us, before going first.

We followed him carefully, wiping off the dust from the walls against which we supported ourselves to not lose balance. There was a pleasant chill coming from below, the walls were cold, but dry. The sound of our steps carried to the depths of the crypts, and they answered with an echo as silent and clear as the shy voice of a morning bird in the mist.

The stairs didn't lead far. I subconsciously counted them in my mind, and when my thoughts said 'twenty four', we reached an empty chamber with a fairly high ceiling. There were only a few torches in the holders on the walls, which the archpriest started lighting. Opposite the stairs we noticed a massive, double door carved meticulously out of some dark wood. The edges were decorated with metal, fancifully bent strengthenings.

Our host produced another key from his robes, this time black and a little bigger, and opened the door. The heavy wings opened almost on their own, even and smooth, like they were taking a deep breath. Just their creak echoed throughout the dungeon like some acrid spell. Beyond the door there was only darkness.

"You should find the chamber with the crystal somewhere on the end of this corridor," said Heathcliff, looking into the passageway, the snippet of which we saw only a few meters past the threshold. "I will wait for you here."

Eugeo entered without a word. I caught Asuna's glance. Upon seeing the anxiety in her eyes, I smiled reassuringly, even though I myself still wasn't sure what to think of our friend's behavior. I just followed him, and she finally did the same.

The light from the torches in the antechamber died out really quickly, and the rest of the crypts was drowned in deep darkness. I didn't think much and did the first thing that came to my mind - I lit a tiny fire in the palm of my hand. Eugeo and Asuna did the same in almost exactly the same moment. We smiled to each other and continued down the passage.

In the subtle light of our flames, the shadows seemed more black than they should be, and the marks of chisels and pickaxes that shaped the passage who knows how long ago, gained some ghostly incisiveness. The misty glow drew out new curves, niches decorated with draperies of shadows, ornamental columns supporting the ceiling... We felt delicate breezes every now and then, probably coming from some openings connecting the crypts with the outside, but the presence of which we could only presume among the blackness. And maybe it was just my mind, aware of the purpose of this place's creation, that was playing tricks on me, but I could swear that I heard the cadenced, quiet hum of ancient magic all around us.

"I thought the passage would be shorter..." I finally said, just to say something. The silence made this place seem even more gloom. "The temple is not that big..."

"No one said that the crypts have to be restrained by the temple's walls," Asuna remarked soberly.

"Well, yeah..."

We were just passing another niche, when she suddenly let out a short squeal, in a way a bit untypical for her, but as befits a real woman.

"What is it?" Eugeo came closer to disperse more of the darkness with his flame, his other hand on the hilt of the Blue Rose Sword. He backed away equally quickly just a second later.

Lying there, in an unnatural position, was a white, human skeleton, clothed in scraps of charred garments. It was stuck in an old, rusted armor, cracked on one side, like a cocoon that a butterfly soared up from. The weird thing was that every little bone was white as snow, without a single trace of flesh. It looked almost unreal...

"That must be one of the daredevils that Heathcliff talked about."

"Do we really have to find so many dead on our path...?" Asuna asked bitterly.

"I have a feeling that the farther we go, the more inevitable it will become..." Eugeo finally let go of the hilt of his sword and looked in the direction in which we were heading. "Come on, I feel like it's not far now."

We followed him without a moment of hesitation.

We didn't manage to make more than three steps though, when Eugeo suddenly stopped in his tracks again, making me bump right into his back.

"What is it?" I asked, gripping his sleeve to regain my balance.

"Shhh," was his only answer. He squinted a bit, as if listening out for something.

I fell silent, almost holding my breath. And then I heard it...

From somewhere deep in the dungeon, came a quiet sound resembling the soft ringing of little bells... Asuna reflexively reached out to her sirath to hush it. But the sound was still there, and it was a little different from the one her stones made, and to which we were so used by now we hardly paid attention to it. It was... like tiny crystals or little metal plates meeting each other again and again. They formed an almost regular rhythm, even seemed to take the shape of some mysterious melody that called us, wanting to offer help or luring us to our deaths...

"What is that...?" I whispered.

"I have no idea..." Asuna kept looking around, searching for the source of the fascinating sound. "But somehow... I don't have any bad feelings."

"Weird stuff is happening here," mumbled Eugeo.

"That's nothing new..." I rose my had a little more and made the flame in it bigger.

To our surprise, the light revealed the end of the underground passageway just a few meters further. The walls just ended abruptly, falling into some dark chamber. We looked at each other again, then carefully entered. The darkness was hiding everything jealously, but it still felt like the room was pretty huge.

The strange noises from the depths of the dungeon followed us in there, then died out. As soon as the last, crystalline sound stopped echoing in the blackness, suddenly torches started coming to life along the walls, as if lit by an invisible hand. All three of us took an involuntary step back.

The chamber was indeed huge and almost completely empty, but... gorgeous. The irregular surface of the bright floor seemed to be hewed carelessly in the sandstone, but upon looking closely we realized that it was carved into a beautiful map of whole Earlindon. Above our heads, on the low ceiling, we saw murals depicting probably all possible species of dragons, so magnificent and vivid as if they were drafted with light and not paint or multicolored stones. There was only a single pedestal in the shape of an open flower, standing in the middle of all this beauty. The calyx resembled a bluebell, carved subtly out of the sandstone, but... it was empty.

And before any of us could even say anything, we suddenly heard a voice.

"Finally... you're finally here..." it was the voice of a woman. It seemed to come from all around us, deep and very gentle. "I waited so long for you to set foot into this chamber... So many years... and here you are..."

"Who are you?!" Asuna mustered the courage to shout out, looking around all the time. There was not a single soul around us, just the voice seeming to fill the room.

"I'm one of the ones who lived for centuries, watching the sea shape the cliffs and water from glaciers form rivers... who wondered if one day everything will vanish, be it due to erosion or other causes... We are meant to meet soon. I will wait for you in the heart of the Dragon Mountains, along with the shards of the Sunrise. Have no fear, the one that was hidden in the temple isn't lost, neither did it fall into Sharish's hands. I removed it so that he wouldn't feel tempted to destroy the City of Pearls as well. I will explain everything when you arrive. I will be waiting..."

The voice faded away, and as it disappeared, so did the feeling of someone's presence in the chamber.

"So Chrysheight was telling the truth..." Asuna said quietly after a few moments of silence.

"But who was that?"

"I have no idea. It..." she trailed off suddenly, as if she noticed something. Before I could ask she crossed the room, heading towards the pedestal in the middle, circled around it and kneeled down. We followed her, curious.

There was a small chest standing behind the sandstone flower. It was small, made of dark, almost black wood, draped in a decorative net of black plait with real pearls stringed on it. When Asuna carefully opened the lid, we saw around three dozens of big scales in various colors and shapes, lying on the velvet covered bottom. The amber light of the torches stroke colorful sparks from them.

"I guess the trip here wasn't for nothing after all," Asuna said, satisfied and amazed at the same time. "This should brake Sharish's game of reviving dragons a little."

"And should cause him to lose interest in Tacritia completely," I nodded. "The people here really don't need any visits from him."

Asuna closed the chest and I offered to carry our find. As we left the mythic chamber, the torches went out and the dungeon was once more enveloped with darkness. We lit our own fires and made our way back to the exit.

* * *

„ _You remain my Power, my Pleasure, my Pain..."_


	34. The Binding Chains

To our surprise, we didn't find Heathcliff waiting for us in the antechamber when we returned.

"He said he will stay here..." I muttered, when the heavy door closed behind us with an unpleasant rasp.

"Maybe some duties called him," Asuna soothed calmly.

But when we left the dungeon and returned to the dining room, something didn't feel right. The table was still set, but there was no trace of the priests, which shouldn't be the case at this hour. There was just an unpleasant silence that filled the temple. I just put the chest down on the table, when the echo of the temple brought the buzz of raised voices to our ears. Many agitated voices. Trying not to get lost in the bright corridors, we quickly headed in the direction where they came from.

After quite a few moments we reached a vast chamber. The huge statue elevated above the rest of the room, carved out of darkened wood suggested, that we just found the main, religious part of the temple. And we entered it through a back door, that was probably used by the priests during ceremonies, because at first everything was blocked from sight by the firm back of the sea god. We carefully peeked from behind the monument.

The chamber was beautiful. Siracel was pointing the harpoon in his right hand in the direction of the ceiling, plaited from heavy, but slender wooden beams. There was a tiny spring gushing out at his feet, giving birth to the little stream that wandered across the city, after exiting through impressive, oak doors. The light of the early sun fell inside through an opening shaped like a droplet of water, chiseled out in the wall just above it. What we saw at the threshold though, was far less beautiful.

Around fifty citizens stood there, fiercely arguing with a few priests, who ineffectively tried to explain something and calm them down. The bouquet of unrefined words that the people were throwing at them, placed the clerics somewhere between 'deceivers', 'kidnappers' and 'murderers'. One of the older holy men, standing more at the side, noticed us and hastily came closer.

"What is going on here?" asked Eugeo quietly.

"We are not sure ourselves..." the priest was almost trembling. "The people who came from Ioreth claim that we are hiding king Oberon's son here, the one that was abducted from the royal castle some months ago... I really don't understand any of this..."

My heart jumped up to my throat. So it did happen after all... I glanced at the crowd gathered in the doorway once more. I couldn't... I couldn't just go out there and pretend like I'm the prince, and I couldn't tell them the truth either... but I had to do something... I closed my eyes and clenched my fists at my sides, desperately fighting rationality for a decision...

There was a sudden turmoil in front of the sea god statue. We looked out once more. One of the citizen, looking exceptionally irritated, maybe even a little drunk, stepped forward and came really close to Heathcliff, who stood foremost on the opposite side of the conflict.

"Admit it, it was you who kidnapped young Kazuto and are responsible for the king's death!" he yelled, grabbing the archpriest by the front of his robe.

Heathcliff wanted to say something, and I saw his hand calmly rise towards the one holding his garments, but the man assaulting him already had his other one up...

Enough was enough.

Throwing all further contemplation out the window, I ran out of our hiding, passed the simple altar standing on the left side of the spring and reached the little railing that surrounded the elevated area.

"Stop it!" I shouted desperately.

The silence in the temple was instantaneous. I almost felt how Asuna, who was still hidden behind the huge statue, sucked in a breath and held it.

For a moment, the townspeople just stared at me, or rather at my wings in a way that made me feel like I've just made the biggest mistake of my life. Merely a few seconds passed, seconds that seemed like hours to me, when suddenly several of them kneeled down. A few confused whispers followed, and soon they were all bowing before me.

I felt an unpleasant sting somewhere near my heart as I gripped the delicate, wooden railing for support. That was it. Now there was absolutely no way I could tell them the truth...

I didn't know how long it took for my heart to slow down a little. It seemed painfully intense in the dead silence that fell upon the temple. Everyone, including my friends behind my back, was waiting for my next movement. I took a deep breath and rose my head at last. It was a flight on borrowed wings and I knew that one wrong move could result in an exceptionally agonizing fall... but since I was already forced to play this role, I was determined to play it as best I could.

"What gives you the right to accuse these people of a crime they didn't commit?" I asked loudly, my voice echoing throughout the hush in the chamber. "They welcomed you here, gave you shelter after what happened in our capital, and this is how you thank them? Do I look like I'm being held prisoner here? Like I'm here against my will?"

The man who stepped forward before to attack Heathcliff, now lifted his head a tiny bit. "Please forgive us..." he stuttered awkwardly. "We didn't know..."

"And yet you assumed," I interrupted him, slowly gaining confidence. "And it's not me you should be begging for forgiveness, but the ones you baselessly accused and nearly assaulted." I looked towards the little group of priests who also kneeled down in the meantime. They looked utterly bewildered... I turned my gaze away, embittered. I felt like I not only swindled them, but myself as well...

A female voice from the crowd brought me back to the moment: "What did really happen then, young master? Why did you hide all this time? Everyone thought the royal line was broken, the sword and the coat of arms were broken..."

I sighed softly. I wished I could tell them 'what really happened', without lying and without revealing who I really was, but that was simply impossible.

"That night when... my father... was murdered, I was meant to meet the same fate. But I was saved by someone who's name I would rather not mention here. And the reason for my hiding should be obvious to all of you by now... I'm one of the Disciples of the Last Dragons."

A murmur of agitated whispers flew through the chamber, as if wind moved some sleeping bulrush.

"That's not important right now," someone else spoke from the back. "Young master has to mount the throne. Without a king Earlindon will fall to lawlessness and invasions from other countries!"

I almost panicked. I wanted to say something, object, decline, but there was suddenly another voice from somewhere to the right: "No! Disciples cannot be trusted, just like dragons couldn't!"

These words caused a blurred, but gradually increasing noise of a quarrel to rise in the temple. I was baffled... I could have predicted various outcomes, but not something like that...

"Dragons were ruthless beasts, Vecta Caydranth did us a huge favor by ridding the world of them!" some elderly man joined the argument.

"And does any of you remember those times and has any evidence of that being the whole truth?!" a clear, beautiful voice suddenly rose above all others and made the others fade a little. I turned my head to see Asuna, who left the hideout, come close to me and stand at my right. "I don't think humans live long enough to remember any of those events. And what speaks through you are insignificant rumors spread by people who just feared the dragons without even really knowing why and without knowing their real nature."

"Be quiet woman! Who gave you the right to speak for..."

"How dare you?!" I heard my own voice shout the hefty man down in a way that made him blench. It took me a moment to actually realize that it was me who said those words, and that the blood in my veins suddenly seemed like it was boiling. "Asuna is one of the Disciples and if you want to know, if it weren't for her, Earlindon would be in an even worse state of chaos than it is right now!"

There was silence yet again, and I thought I felt a mist of embarrassment and guilt waft among the crowd. It was hard to believe that the name that was forced upon me gave me such power... I didn't feel an ounce of satisfaction though. On the contrary, I wanted this to end as quickly as possible... I took another deep breath.

"If you approve of what Vecta has done this much, then you will probably be very interested to know, that it was his descendant - Sharish Caydranth, who is responsible for destroying the capital."

There were a few shouts of disbelief.

"It's the truth and you can't change it," I continued gravely. "We have encountered this madman a few times already and we know that he won't be stopping there. His goal is to eliminate every single human being that crosses his path, which unfortunately means... that you aren't entirely safe even here, in Tacritia. This isn't a reason to panic though. We will do everything in our power to protect Earlindon and its inhabitants. But to be able to do that, I am forced to decline taking the throne for now. The task of the Disciples is of higher priority, we have to stop Sharish, which is why we will leave Tacritia again soon. I would like to ask you to make preparations in our absence, to make sure the city is ready in case Sharish decides to appear. I also have a request to make of you..." I looked Heathcliff in the eyes, "I would like to ask you to send emissaries to all cities and villages to let them know they need to prepare as well. I would also like to ask all of you to forgive my long absence and understand that the situation is serious and I had no other choice. My last request would be to please let me fulfill my duties further on and calmly return to your homes..."

The first reaction to my speech was an awkward feeling silence, after which suddenly a few shouts of "Long live king Kazuto!" came. The rest of the crowd quickly picked it up.

I managed a pale smile after a few moments. I waited until all of the townspeople calmed down, bowed and left the temple to spread the word in the entire city. Only when their voices faded out in the distance, I braced myself more firmly against the railing, hung my head and started taking deep breaths, wondering what in the world I have just done. I did the one thing that I wanted to avoid doing at all costs... I wasn't sure what really lured me into it, but I just couldn't allow some kind of riot...

I felt the delicate touch of a hand on my shoulder and turned my head once again. I met Asuna's worried gaze. "Maybe you shouldn't have..." she started gently, silently, so no one else would hear.

"And what should I have told them? The truth? Or just leave them be...?"

She sighed softly. "I think there wasn't a good way out of this situation... You're so pale, come on, you should sit down somewhere. I'll get you something to drink."

Before we were able to leave though, the priests caught up with us.

"Please forgive me the audacity of the question, my prince..." Heathcliff looked me in the eyes with a hint of uncertainty, but with the firmness of a man who knew he had the right to demand answers, "but why did you lie to us?"

"I could take a whole day talking about the reasons..." I averted my gaze. "And it's me who should be asking for forgiveness. I exposed you to such trouble..."

"Oh no, please don't get me wrong. Nothing bad happened in the end, and it's an honor for us to have you as a guest."

"It's a honor for me that you are so understanding... but now we should concentrate on discussing the details of the defense preparations and organizing the emissaries that are supposed to go to other places..."

"It's best if we do it at dinner," Asuna decided to spare me more torture for now. "You should rest a bit now..."

I forced another sad smile and we left the ceremony chamber. Eugeo followed us without a word. We returned to the dining room and I slumped onto one of the chairs. Asuna poured some water into a clean cup and handed it to me. I nodded gratefully and sipped a bit.

"What now?" her voice was still gentle, as if she didn't want to exhaust me any more, but felt like this question was necessary.

"Nothing. It makes no sense to worry about a little hole in the floor when there is the danger of the ceiling falling onto our heads... let's focus on Sharish for now.

"Well... if we don't manage to achieve the first goal of not letting Sharish kill us, then it won't be necessary to worry about the second of solving the problem of the prince..."

Finally a very short, but honest laugh escaped my lips. "Exactly."

As I lifted my head to give her a grateful look, my eyes suddenly fell upon Eugeo, sitting by the opposite end of the table. He was hunched over, supporting his hung head on his hands, unmoving, silent. He looked as if he was simply... devastated for some reason.

"Eugeo...?" I managed to call out quietly, with concern. "Everything alright?"

He moved his head a little, his slender fingers slid down the flaxen bangs... I wasn't sure if I really saw what I thought there was in those greenish eyes, or if I'd rather just not admit that I saw it... it was a shadow of pure despair.

He stood up and looked me in the eyes shortly. He averted his gaze awkwardly quickly, like he couldn't take it... "I'm sorry..." he whispered.

My eyebrows rose slightly. "For what?"

I saw that he wanted to answer, but hesitated, as if he didn't want to make some mistake. Finally, he sighed heavily and turned his back to us. "Should someone ask... I will be in my room..." was the only thing he said before leaving.

"Do you understand any of this?" I asked quietly once his footsteps vanished in the depths of the temple.

"Nothing at all..." Asuna wasn't able to tear her gaze away from the door.

For a moment I wondered if it wouldn't be better to follow him and have a serious talk, but I really didn't feel like pressing him... not after what I just saw...

At the priest's instigation, we decided to stay in the house of god for one more night. In the evening, me and Asuna took the opportunity to go to the roof of the temple to get some fresh air and watch the sunset over the City of Pearls. My friend insisted that it would help me a bit, and she wasn't quite wrong, but I still wasn't able to calm down completely. Nevertheless, I just allowed the evening breeze to cool my forehead down, while watching a velvet mosaic of red, amber and azure spread across the sky, with the occasional stray, fluffy cloudlet here and there. We stayed silent for a long while. Only when the sun vanished from our sight, I turned my gaze away from the horizon.

"Could you help me with something?" I asked out of nowhere.

"Why do you even ask?"

I couldn't help but smile. "We can't allow Eugeo to be stuck in some problem, whatever it is, all the more if it has something to do with our mission... what could it be that he can't reveal to us despite the possibility of it being helpful?"

"I assume it's something that he fears might hurt us, or something he's really ashamed of, or... I don't even know..."

"And Chrysheight didn't help much either... I feel like he just cast a deeper shadow on some things..."

Asuna seemed to suddenly think about something. "But sometimes, the shadow of a shadow can cast light..." she muttered.

I looked at her, confused. A stronger gust of wind from the sea wrinkled the water in the harbor, the metal elements of the cordage chimed against the masts of the boats mooring there. The steel-blue waters that were merging with the color of the evening sky for a while, brightened along with the night when the moon peeked out from behind the clouds in the distance.

"What do you mean?" I finally asked.

"I just thought of something... or rather, I remembered an old story I once heard. But I need to make sure first. I will try to talk to him and will let you know tomorrow, alright?"

"Yeah... I don't have the strength for even one more crazy problem today anymore... I need to lie down."

"Rightly. And try not to think too much. We will handle this together somehow."

I smiled gratefully, wished her a peaceful night and left the roof of the temple. Despite her advice though, I had to repel too intense thoughts and attempts to find some solution to this embroiled situation for quite a while. But when a sudden memory of the sunrise above the City of Pearls sneaked inside my mind, sparking a hope that I might see it again tomorrow, I finally calmed down a bit and sleep managed to overcome me.

* * *

„ _Only someone who's ready_

_To go this Way to the End from the very Beginning..."_


	35. The Forgotten Dragon Palaces

My wish came true the next morning, and even though I felt the urge to use my pillow against Asuna for waking me up before dawn, I was really grateful to her after we already found ourselves outside.

The birds were greeting the sun that still lurked beneath the mountains with lazy chirping. Even before it decided to flood the city with its rays, we already witnessed a fairy tale like show. The mist approached the forefields in a more dense mass than the previous day, and soon a delicate breeze picked up from the sea and started to dissipate it. The terrestrial clouds started to stir and cluster, forming pillars and walls, until we had the impression of some unreal buildings being created in front of our eyes. And the view became even more gorgeous when the golden rays cascaded upon those structures, started to smoothly flow down them, making the meadows radiant along with the misty chambers and the cloudless sky above our heads. I felt that I was ready to face the last unpleasantries in Tacritia.

I had another brief conversation with the archpriest at breakfast, discussing the last details about the preparation plans we started making yesterday evening. Together with Asuna we drafted the message that was supposed to reach all possible places, carried by the emissaries. We even had the opportunity to see the first few of them leave the city on swift horses.

We thanked the clerics for their hospitality, their help and the provisions they prepared for our journey, before we set off towards north-east, dashing above the crops glittering with gold.

The day was a bit sultry, lone, elongated clouds started appearing in the sky, arriving with the brisk wind coming from above the water. The air was clear, so it didn't take long until we saw the outline of mountains becoming clearer in the distance. The unbelievably high summits, probably reaching hundreds of meters, enveloped with still present snow at the very peaks, didn't exactly make a friendly impression.

I sped up a little, seemingly casual, and caught up with the leading Asuna. Eugeo stayed a little behind.

"Did you manage to talk to him?" I asked just loudly enough for her to hear me above the hum of wing in her ears.

"I did," she admitted rather unenthusiastically.

"Did he tell you anything enlightening?"

"Yes and no... or rather he told me, but without the intention of doing so. I didn't want to be too obtrusive, he was in a really awful mood and that might have been the reason why he let a few things slip, that confirmed my suspicions..."

"Stop talking in riddles."

"This story reaches a little further behind in fact and is pretty long but..."

A sudden shout from Eugeo interrupted her: "I'm sorry to disturb you both, but we have a tail!"

We both turned around and looked in the direction he was pointing to.

Some distance away, around the same height we ourselves flew at, we noticed three blurry, bright shapes, coming closer unnervingly quickly, glistening golden in the sun...

"It's the dragonnes!" Eugeo wasn't able to hide a note of panic in his voice.

"Again?!"

Some word that sounded like a druid curse escaped Asuna's lips. "I guess that only proves that we are on the right path," she turned back to face the ridges again. "Let's hurry, if we reach the caves before them, maybe we will be able to lose them inside!"

She didn't have to say it twice. We dashed forward, abandoning the strolling pace. I looked over my shoulder every now and then, but even though the hybrids seemed to be quicker than us, we stayed at a relatively safe distance. I inwardly thanked Asuna for putting the screws on us a while ago. I was sure that if it wasn't for the endurance training, we would be fighting for our lives right now. With little chances of survival.

The escape wasn't easy, the wind wasn't too strong that day and it seemed almost like the clouds got stuck on the peaks. Finally, after about an hour, which felt like five to me, we passed the dark green border of spruces and pines, interspersed with occasional brighter stains of birches, that were wrapped up around the base of the Dragon Mountains. We looked back once more. The dragonnes managed to get a bit closer after all, we clearly saw the outlines of the unnatural silhouettes and the movement of the huge, copper-gold wings now. It seemed like Sharish wasn't accompanying them this time. They were alone.

We lowered our flight and started to scan the rocky, almost lifeless summits. It was Asuna who spotted the abyssal, dark cavity in the wall of a mountain river's channel, partially hidden by a meagerly overgrown overhang. The ravine was deep, patiently eroded for centuries by the masses of flowing water, which splashed gently like a small stream in some places, then roared and dashed like a herd of horses in others. It embraced a smaller hill around the north, the rock oaks extending their shadows towards our destination.

We fell down almost too fast to be considered safe and landed in the atrium of the cave.

"Where did they even come from...?" panted Eugeo. "If it was Sharish who sent them after us, it must mean he knows where we are and what we are doing, but how...?"

"I think it's rather a coincidence. He intends to search the mountains, so he sent a reconnaissance party first... but that's not important right now," Asuna grabbed his sleeve and pulled him deeper into the cave. "We need to hide."

I cast an unsure glance towards the darkness.

"Do you think one can get lost in those tunnels?"

"If one really wants to, then for sure..."

I would have argued, but it suddenly seemed to me like the small amount of sunlight, that was reaching the bottom of the ravine got further dimmed for a split of a second, as if blocked by a passing wing... I cast one last glance at the fragment of the sky visible between the summits, before quickly following my friends.

We weren't going very fast, wanting to keep quiet in order to be able to hear our pursuers closing in. Furthermore, the strenuous flight took its toll. In the thickening darkness, our footsteps echoed clearly among the ancient walls, and each of our breaths seemed multiplied, as if the rocks themselves breathed in this place. I couldn't help but feel that the deeper we went, the further back in time we were moving. It was like entering the Silivren Forest, in a sense, but different. At last the darkness became so impenetrable, that we were forced to use our fire. What we saw as we did so, caused us to forget about the dragonnes for a second.

We didn't even realize how unbelievably spacious the corridor has become, wide and high, sculptured in the pale yellow stone... which wasn't just simply pale yellow. The surface sparkled with the light of countless, tiny particles with every movement of our flames, mimicking a treasure chest full of all possible gems in all colors imaginable...

"What is that...?" I whispered, absolutely enchanted.

"I assume... it's a relic from the time when dragons still lived here," Eugeo rose his hand with the flame a little higher. "The heat of their bodies probably caused the structure of the rocks to change, the minerals crystallized from them and were polished by the dragon scales, when they traversed these corridors..."

The tunnel was so vast, that the glow of our fire dispersed the darkness to a certain level only, the vaulting remained a maze of shadows. I brushed the surface of the rocks in fascination and looked up. The magnitude of this place, along with the awareness that dragons lived here in the past, made me feel weirdly small... I started to wonder if these caverns, similarly to the crypts beneath the temple in Tacritia, concealed some sort of magic. Because when I closed my eyes and concentrated a little, I had the feeling I sensed something, like dim sparks on the very edge of perception... Water murmured somewhere in the distance, and I felt delicate wafts of air coming from the deeper parts of the underground. Was it possible for anyone to unveil the secrets of those mazes now, after so many centuries...?

There suddenly was the sound of heavy, but soft steps somewhere, coming from the direction we came from, along with a muffled, low growling.

"They found us..." it was hard to tell what was more distinct in Asuna's voice: fear or irritation.

"Put your flames out," Eugeo said quietly. "One will be enough."

He reduced his fire to the essential minimum and we continued onwards, as quickly and silently as we could. The darkness surrounding us wasn't very encouraging. The light of the flame didn't reach far, and the deep shadows lurking beyond its radius could have been concealing a dozen of dragonnes, which we wouldn't even notice until the moment we run into them.

We came across a forking after a while, but didn't waste much time on wondering. Even though we knew far too well, that the wrong decision could mean death... we picked a random path in hope that the beasts would choose the other, but we didn't keep our hopes up. After all, dragonnes derived from wild predators, for which tracking prey was everyday life...

We stopped again after a few minutes to listen to the sounds of the underground.

"Do you think they could be close?" asked Eugeo in the quietest whisper that I ever heard from him.

As soon as he did that, there was a sudden growl behind us. We looked in the direction we came from, completely terrified.

The three bristled beasts walked into the circle of light cast by Eugeo's flame slowly and soundlessly, like cougars approaching their helpless victims.

"Yes..." Asuna rose her hand reflexively. "They are close..."

Thinking that the dragonnes were further behind was a massive miscalculation... I instinctively took a step back, which turned out to be another mistake. One of the beasts roared loudly and leaped towards us.

All three of us dodged skillfully, but this attack must have been too sudden for Eugeo, because the fire in his palm abruptly went out, drowning the tunnel in complete darkness. And causing an even bigger chaos. The dragonnes started to growl dully and it seemed to me as if they were trying to attack blindly, because there was a constant, unpleasant rustle of their scales and occasional swish of a paw cutting the air...

I found the rock wall with one hand and leaned against it, desperately trying to find a way out. I couldn't just attack, the risk of accidentally hurting one of my companions in this darkness was too great. I was scared to light the smallest of flames as well, knowing that it would attract the attention of our enemies. Eugeo and Asuna must have been struggling with a decision as well, because I didn't hear nor see any sort of reaction from them. Long seconds passed, counted by the hastened breaths, which I tried to stifle in order to not betray my position. But we couldn't just wait forever, the eyes of the dragonnes would adjust to the darkness much quicker than our own...

This train of thought was interrupted by the sudden feeling of something rough grazing my side, I distinctly felt the hard scales... I jumped to my right without thinking and heard the enormous paw of the dragonne shattering the rock I was standing by just a second earlier. Almost at the same moment, I heard Asuna's stifled, short scream from somewhere in the darkness...

I barely restrained myself from calling her. I wanted to run over there and help her somehow, even if it meant drawing the attention of all the beasts to myself. But before I could do that, I heard the aggressive growl of one of them right beside me. I took a few steps back and stopped at the last second, upon instinctively sensing a void behind my back... and suddenly a few things happened at once, too fast for comprehension.

I felt myself losing my balance. As if the earth was drawn back from beneath my feet. The only thing I could manage was a terrified scream, as I started to fall. I think I heard Eugeo yell my name, but I didn't get the chance to respond. It lasted maybe two seconds, before I hit some sort of solid ground again, sloped and covered in gravel, and started rolling down it. The thing I expected the least happened a few meters further below.

I fell into water.

Almost startled into numbness, I quickly resurfaced and coughed up the water that I choked at. I pushed the wet bangs away from my eyes and looked around.

I suddenly found myself in a pretty big cave, almost completely covered by a sort of underground lake full of dark, calm water. Countless small, grayish stalactites hung from the high, arched dome, next to them a few tiny holes letting narrow rays of hazy daylight in. Each wave breaking on the rocks and each tiny stone falling into the water after me echoed melodiously off of the shadow-shrouded walls. Somewhere deeper inside the cavern I noticed a gently rising shore and the mouth of some tunnel, drowned in deep darkness.

And that darkness was where I suddenly heard a familiar noise from... a strange rustle, sounding almost like the soft ringing of little crystals... the same we heard in the crypts of the Siracel temple...

Utterly confused, I swam to a tiny, rock 'island' - basically just a big boulder sticking out of the water and climbed onto it. I was drenched and aching all over my body... I took another look around. It was hard to tell which way I even fell in here from, and there was no sign of my friends anywhere. The silent, mysterious jingling faded a little...

I suddenly caught a movement in the semi-darkness out of the corner of my eye. I turned around quickly and saw the silhouette of a dragonne, bristled, lurking in the shadow on another rock jutting out of the lake.

I felt a little more confident this time. The beast was alone and the cave was bright enough for me to follow every movement. I rose my hand, ready to act, but I suddenly had to hold my breath. The almost inaudible sound of soft paws on rocky surface, accompanied by quiet but deep, cat-like purring immediately took all my confidence away. And I wasn't allowed to think about my situation for even two seconds.

One of the beasts leaped towards me like a lynx onto a deer, but I couldn't allow myself a moment of fright. Holding my hands in front of me, I created a vast wall of flames between us and immediately soared up underneath the dome of the cave, to avoid the attack coming from behind my back. From there, I quickly dashed towards the farthest wall - two beats of my wings were enough to carry me there - and the third, with a drastically different angle, caused me to stop right at the rock facade. I turned around.

The two dragonnes collided with each other and tussled for a few seconds in the fire, roaring in pain. Finally one of them unintentionally hit its companion with the mighty paw, I thought I saw a spray of blood, and the unfortunate beast landed in the water with a loud splash. I watched the surface with rising hope, until the echo died out and the irregular rings, that disturbed the water smoothened out and finally disappeared.

I sighed in relief, but couldn't relax yet. My situation hasn't changed much. I was aware that the death of one of the dragonnes was pure luck, and I needed more than just fire to defeat the second one. There was not much space for maneuvers in the air within this cave. I might have been smaller and nimbler, but if I wanted to try escape, then I wouldn't fit into any of the holes in the ceiling. What was more, I started to feel my strength slowly leaving me, drained after the previous, frantic flight... The only hope was the corridor on the other side of the lake.

When the remaining beast attacked again, I dove beneath it, but felt that its claws missed me by mere millimeters. I descended almost to the very surface of the water and dashed towards the dark mouth of the passage, giving it all I had. If I managed to create a wall of fire right there, I would be able to delay my pursuer, if only for a short time. I was getting closer, measuring the distance with the beats of my own heart...

But at the exact moment when I passed the shoreline, the dragonne caught up with me and pinned me down to the ground with its huge paws. I suddenly felt an agonizing pain in my left wing and heard my anguished scream echo throughout the cave.

The impetus of such an attack in flight was so tremendous though, that the beast just tumbled over my head and landed on the rocks by the wall next to the tunnel. Trembling on my whole body, I tried to get up, but the pain in my wing immediately cooled me down. I was barely able to even move...

Suddenly there was a loud swish right above my head and I involuntarily hunched in fear. An almost deafening roar resonated within the cave and I suddenly saw the dragonne fly past me and land in the water, as if struck by some tremendous power. I squinted a bit. I felt dizzy and everything before my eyes was annoyingly hazy... I gathered my courage and turned my head.

There was another golden shape hovering above me, seeming even bigger than the beast that was just sent flying across the underground... but I didn't have any more strength to defend myself. I closed my eyes, waiting for the final strike in this battle...

It was then that I heard a voice.

"Kirito... Kirito!"

I recognized it... it was the same, gentle female voice that we heard in the crypts... but the curiosity wasn't enough to keep my mind conscious. I felt the remnants of energy leaving my body and the last thing I registered was the cruel cold of the stones I was lying on...

* * *

„ _Thoughts fly round_

_Turning into Strength..."_


	36. The Scar of Torn Wings

When I opened my eyes, I saw nothing... I was surrounded by darkness, silence and some scent that I think I knew, but couldn't recognize yet. I was lying on my stomach, on something soft... Could it be... could all of this have been a dream? Was I still lying in the bed in the Siracel temple, or worse... in Kaan's mansion?

I shifted to lie on my left side and tried to lift myself a bit. Something rustled beneath me weirdly. I attempted to get up, but suddenly had to moan and fall back onto the bedding. I felt a faint echo of pain in my left wing...

So it couldn't have been a dream... but who saved me then? Was it the owner of this mysterious voice, or maybe it was just my numbed mind that heard it in the cave? But if someone really still lived in this underground, then who was it? And... where in the world was I now?

I looked around once more. My eyes were adjusting to the darkness annoyingly slowly. I could recognize irregular, bright lines, forming some weird shapes above my head... and I suddenly became aware of something. A sound... something reminding me of a deep, calm rush of water, like the waves of the sea hissing gently upon meeting the shore, and then going back again... It became clear to me that it was present the whole time since the moment I came to my senses, but I didn't even notice...

I carefully reached out with my hand, searching for anything that could cast some light upon my current situation. My fingers met something soft after a few moments, something very warm and... big. I slowly moved my hand across the weirdly irregular, but smooth surface. My curiosity rising, I shifted closer and tried to prop myself on my left elbow... and my wing caught on to something and a pain shot through it, sharp enough to make me unable to hold back a short scream.

"You shouldn't get up," I suddenly heard, when I slumped back, trying to catch my breath. It was this calm, female voice again... it was clearer and louder than ever before, resonating much closer, almost like right next to me... I closed my eyes, terrified that I was losing my consciousness again. It could have been just the echo of a hallucination in my head...

"Who are you...?" I whined. "I remember your voice... you were there, in the crypts of the Siracel temple..."

"I was not there," a hint of amusement reverberated within those words. "But it's kind of you that you memorized it."

"Where am I...? And why is it so dark in here...?"

"Well... I'm afraid that you could get really scared if I let some light reach you."

"Get scared? Of what...?"

"Of me."

I fell silent for a second, blinking. "Then who... who even are you...?"

For a moment, there was no answer, which made me think she left me alone with a riddle to solve. But soon enough, the voice spoke up again. "Even if I told you... I don't think you would believe."

I heard some rustle above my head, strangely similar to the one I heard from the underground tunnel that I never reached after falling into the lake. It seemed like something was moving right above me... And suddenly there was a light so bright that I was forced to squeeze my eyes shut and shield them with one hand. When finally, after a few long moments, I was able to open them again, the only thing I could do was take a loud, bewildered breath.

I was lying in an monstrous cave, bathed in the rays of the sun that stood high in the clear sky, coming in through a vast opening in the dome. A big part of it, partly shielded by an overhang, was covered in a thick layer of hay, forming something that resembled a nest. I was resting in the very middle of it, and right beside me, or rather around me, coiled into a loose ball, laid...

... a dragon...

A real, enormous, golden dragon, watching me with worry in its wise, molten eyes and sheltering me with one of its wings, bigger than my own at least ten times. Or rather it wasn't a dragon... it was a dragoness... who lowered her huge head towards me and purred quietly: "Did you lose your tongue?"

She should have asked if I lost my breath. It took me a few moments before I started to feel an unpleasant stinging in my chest, and my head signaled me with slight spinning that something was wrong. I came to my senses and sucked in a desperate breath. Closing my eyes again and covering them with my hand, I just breathed for a while. "So this is some sort of dream after all...?" I moaned.

"Do you feel like you're in a dream?" she countered gently.

"I see... so the dragonnes sent me to the place where Vecta once sent the dragons..."

"I swear, I never understood why humans like to complicate things this much," the dragoness was clearly amused. "You always search for the most tangled up path."

I opened my eyes again and hesitantly looked at the fascinating creature lying beside me. She didn't seem to be an illusion... The sun's rays coming from outside reflected off of her dreamlike, golden scales, casting dancing lights onto the rocky walls of the cavern. I realized that it must have been them, that caused the mysterious sound when she was moving... I unmistakably felt the heat of her mighty body, with which she enveloped me like a mother would do with her offspring...

"But that's not possible..." I muttered. "Dragons, they..."

"They didn't die out, Kirito," she interrupted me. "Not all of them." She must have interpreted my bewildered silence as a sign to explain some things, so she continued: "Back then, when all dragons of this land bonded to face our enemy, I was the only dragoness awaiting progeny. It was why I was told to hide in the depths of the Dragon Mountains, in case the worst should happen, and ensure the safety of my children. We wanted to defeat our enemy, but also protect our race... It was horrible... to sit here, where it was safe, while this bloody scenario was being played out there, at the heart of this country... I was listening out for news about the outcome the way humans listen out to the sounds of approaching storm... And the last sign from my brothers and sisters was one of the shards of the Sunrise of Earlindon, sent here with the last spark of their magic, along with a request to wait for the ones chosen by the Last Three Dragons..."

"You were... awaiting progeny?" I finally managed to stammer out. "Where are they?"

The dragoness craned her neck elegantly above my head, pointing her snout towards her rear paws. When I followed her gaze, carefully lifting myself a bit from the hay again, she shoved a layer of the nest aside with the huge spikes on the tip of her tail, revealing two big, yellowish eggs. "Here," I could clearly sense the motherly warmth and pride. "They are waiting for the day when the last descendant of the deranged Caydranth lineage vanishes, so they can hatch safely."

I couldn't hold back a smile. I felt like I just saw a spark of hope... a promise for the future I would never have dared to dream of... My arm was starting to tremble, so I wanted to lie down again, but then... I noticed how close the head of the dragoness was to me now... I unwittingly reached out with a shaking hand and carefully touched the fine scales on her cheek. Her eyes drifted shut...

"You're real..." I whispered in disbelief.

I thought I saw a glint of amusement in her beautiful, molten eye when she opened it again to look at me. "Really, it's so difficult to convince you of anything..."

I suddenly felt myself sincerely believing... All of it kind of made sense. The golden shape I saw before I lost consciousness wasn't the shadow of the last of the dragonnes coming out of nowhere... it was her... And the magic that protected the shard of the Sunrise in the crypts of the Siracel temple, which Heathcliff told us about, were cast by dragons... That's why she could speak to us even though she was here the entire time.

Maybe dragons really did look for some solution beforehand, not only to ensure the safety of other races, but their own as well...? Suddenly, the memory of something Eugeo once told me started to echo in my mind... _'You see, dragons were extremely intelligent, I dare to say, far more than humans. Their magic abilities supposedly gave them the power to see the future...'_

I closed my eyes.

I believed...

I felt myself smile, and a single tear rolled down my cheek...

"What's wrong?" I heard the dragoness' concerned voice.

"Nothing..." I wiped it away. I suddenly felt the urge to laugh. "It's just... I feel so relieved... Because that means we are not the Disciples of the _Last_ Dragons. We are not alone..."

"You are not. You had help even before you were born for the protection of this land."

There was a sudden chill running down my spine. I felt like my own words just slapped me in the face. _'The Disciples of the Last Dragons'_... If it weren't for the pain in my whole body, I would have just jolted up from the hay.

"Eugeo, Asuna..." I started to look around. "Where are they?"

The dragoness was silent for a few moments. "I'm sorry, but I only found you. If you hadn't caused such a ruckus, I wouldn't even have noticed your arrival. I didn't yet have the opportunity to search for them, I had to take care of you."

"I have to find them!" I tried to get up again, but was once more sent back to the bedding by the sharp pain.

"With a broken wing?" she cooled me down gently.

I froze for a moment. Of course I knew that something was damaged there, but I didn't expect it to be that bad... "But... if they are injured too, if they need help..." I clenched my fists in helpless anger. "It's all Sharish's fault... if he didn't send those unappeased dragonnes..."

"Yes, he sent a whole three of them," the dragoness puffed a small cloud of smoke out of her nostrils, as if wanting to say that such a number is not even worth mentioning. "I don't think you need to worry about your companions."

"Why?"

"Two of those filthy crossbreeds followed you, didn't they? One you took care of yourself. The second, I admit, was trying hard until it met the rocks in the water... and I don't think that the two of them had a big problem with the single one remaining."

"And what if there were actually more? We saw them from a distance, we didn't stop to count them..."

"The enemy often seems to be doubling in the eyes of an escaping warrior."

"Maybe, but they could still be injured... what if they are sitting there somewhere, unable to move, and are hopelessly waiting for help?"

"Oh, I don't think so. I heard them calling you from the deeper caves just yesterday."

I gave her a terrified look. I was afraid to ask, but I eventually did it: "Yesterday... was I unconscious since yesterday? And they are wandering around there for almost two days already?!"

"They will find us sooner or later, don't worry. Besides, it makes no sense to go after them. If we started to search for each other, moving around in a dark, underground maze, we would never be able to meet."

I fell silent and cast my eyes down. And what if Eugeo and Asuna don't reach this place? Would they assume that I died and give up the search? If they left the caves and flew back west, I wouldn't be able to find them so easily, besides, what was I even supposed to do with the broken wing? It was Asuna who always took care of health problems more complicated than 'cleanse it and tie something around it'... And the dragoness couldn't just leave the safety of her hideout to come with me and help, she was protecting a way too precious treasure... I felt so utterly powerless...

"We shouldn't worry about things we cannot influence, Kirito," the dragoness said softly. She was quiet for a moment, then, probably upon seeing the despair in my eyes, she changed the topic to try to pull me away from unpleasant thoughts. "Tell me, what do you plan to do if you collect all the shards of the Sunrise that managed to not fall into Sharish's hands? Do you have any idea for what to do with him?"

I needed stupidly long to understand that question. And when I finally came to my senses, I didn't know how to answer anyway. "To be honest... I don't know. We didn't plan out that far..."

"And the Sanctuary? Did you consider destroying it?"

"Of course... it would make things much easier for us, if only we knew where to find it."

"How come?" the dragoness seemed genuinely surprised. "Isn't the Disciple of Ralethiel, the Blue Dragon someone from the Elkjar Mountains in the North? Someone from the Nitrael lineage?"

Nitrael? If I recalled correctly, that was indeed the name Eugeo introduced himself with to my parents... And Chrysheight did mention once, that my friend was born somewhere in the north... "Well... yes, I guess?" I finally answered, not really knowing where we were heading with this.

"And he didn't tell you anything? He like no one else should have known straight away what the riddle of 'a disinherited ruler' was about."

I suddenly felt the touch of a suspicion. Maybe what the dragoness was trying to tell me, was the exact same thing Asuna didn't manage to reveal before this chaos started? Maybe I would finally get to know why Eugeo behaved so weirdly...

"Why him?" I asked, feeling my curiosity grow by the second.

"So he didn't tell you after all... you will be surprised, but this whole story concerns the royal house ruling Earlindon. And for every puppet allowing itself to be manipulated, there is always a mad human being pulling the tenuous strings."

I was silent. I felt everything in my head slowly getting tangled up and starting to whirl like moths by a candle. But I didn't interrupt. The dragoness continued:

"Long ago, when there was still peace between our race and humans, the family reigning over Earlindon was divided into two houses. After some time, one part of the lineage, called the Fearn clan, separated from the rest of the family and moved to another part of the country, changing the location of the capital at the same time..."

"Fearn?" I repeated quietly, answering the sound of a string that was just plucked inside my memory. "So you mean the family... that I was forced to be a part of for some time..."

"Correct. But I heard that the head of the clan met a suitably violent end recently."

"It's true... but it's strange, while I was in there, I learned a lot about the history of the lineage, but in no book was there ever a second branch of the family being mentioned..."

"I see you are assuming that if someone has written a book, then he knew what he was writing about. I suppose you were provided only with works created specifically on demand of the Fearn family, who above all else wanted to erase their relatives from the pages of history. Luckily someone dared to secretly add the missing verses. I don't know if now, with one of the branches having died out, the second will claim their rights... all the more because there still is the..." she gave me an amused look, "son of king Oberon, an exceptional herb in the royal garden, who's chasing dragonnes around Earlindon and experiencing all kind of other episodes exciting for a young man..."

I sighed in irritation. Even she had to remind me of that... I suddenly felt the dragoness slightly spread her enormous wing above me once more and leaning her head closer to me. "Forgive me, this joke was misplaced," she soothed gently.

I took a deep breath and steered the conversation to another path: "How do you even know about all this? You've been hiding here all this time, haven't you?"

"That's true, but I was able to sometimes trace your steps using the same kind of magic that was used in the crypts of the Siracel temple. I didn't do it often, I was afraid that one of you would eventually notice as your understanding of magic grew, especially the heiress of Yrvanyss... but luckily, I was able to maintain the element of surprise."

"But returning to the topic..."

"Yes... maybe I should start from the beginning... Long ago, still during the times of Vecta, the capital of Earlindon was located in Hreshia, or as some call it, The City of Peaks, which lies far in the mountainous north-east. The royal family lived in peace and harmony over there, until the day when Vecta discovered something of great interest to him there... He found an ideal spot to create the Sanctuary of the Dawnguard, a place on the border of two worlds, where he could count on the watchful eyes of his dark confederates."

"Dark confederates?"

"Yes. Hreshia conceals the entry to Heiserth, the underground kingdom of drows, or dark elves, as some call them."

I blinked. "Since when do elves live under the earth?"

"Oh they were living there before your race even got to know the other, forest elves. They are not evil by nature, like some would assume, but it's far easier to convince them to do evil. And Vecta apparently knew well how to do that and gain their favors. He also ingratiated with the royal family, and secretly built the Sanctuary in the castle's dungeons."

"Why did he have to do it in secret? I thought the Caydranth mages were highly respected back then."

"Yes, but there were unhealthy ambitions already smoldering in Vecta's soul. With the help of drows, he planned to seize rule over the capital, and then probably over the whole country. He was patient... over a few years, he worked to earn an unshakeable trust from the king, the head of the Fearn line. Once he was certain of his position, he made sure that shreds of true information started to reach the ears of the other clan's head. The brother of the king reacted immediately, and tried to warn his kin about the deceitful snake lurking at his side. At that moment, Vecta talked a suspicion into the mind of the king, that his brother desires to start a conflict and seize the throne, which the king unfortunately believed. I suppose Vecta was hoping to start a war between the two feud sides and lead to their destruction, which would leave him the freedom of taking their place and the access to the Sanctuary."

"For a madman, he seemed to think rather logically..."

"Unfortunately. But the events took another turn. The king officially disinherited his brother and all his descendants, and decided to start a new chapter of Earlindon's history. Together with his own family, he moved to Ioreth and took all pains to make sure the memory of his rebellious relatives vanished without a trace. The disinherited brother however, vigilantly stayed in the old capital, guarding the access to the Sanctuary and preventing drows from gaining too much power and threatening the city. And after all those years Sharish, who wasn't yet certain enough about his powers to take action on his own, refreshed the acquaintanceship with the ruling house and convinced Oberon to search for one of the Disciples, the presence of whom he suspected somewhere near the capital..."

"Who would have thought that even after Vecta's death, his deeds brought so much evil..."

The dragoness sighed, causing the hay to rustle. "Once, it was a wonderful family of powerful mages, but... well, some trees are able to grow only to a certain height, then they start sprouting wild shoots. I had a feeling it was always in their blood. It just became evident now because Sharish decided to not hide anymore, and instead of spreading chaos by whispering poisonous words from the darkness, he picked up a sword..."

"I see... So... now that the royal lineage has died out, shouldn't the other branch try to take over the throne? I think that according to law, if the king dies childless, a disinheritance can be considered invalid..."

"That's true, however I'm deeply worried that the rule of the other clan could not be acknowledged after what the Fearns did. The people of Earlindon are convinced that there were no other royal family members. Besides... a few years ago, the head of the other clan reached the end of his life in Hreshia. He left an adult son behind... but that boy is currently doing the same reckless things the successor of the Fearn line is busy with..."

I frowned slightly, and then heard myself take a sudden, cut short breath. "Wait..." I stammered. "But that means..."

"Yes," the dragoness gave me a serious look. "All this time, you were accompanied by the rightful ruler of Earlindon."

That was too much. "But that doesn't..." I muttered. "Who in their right mind would let the rightful successor of the throne venture out into the wild knowing how important he is for the country..."

The dragoness sighed again. "Eugeo ran away from Hreshia shortly after he learned that he is one of the Disciples. He set out to find the Dracascarion, you, and finally Asuna..."

I didn't want to listen to it any longer. I was afraid to believe her words, but for some reason I still believed. All of it fit together somehow... explained Eugeo's behavior in the past few days, or basically since the day we started to search for clues about the shards and the Sanctuary... It explained his vast knowledge about various topics, his usually composed, almost courtly behavior, his skill with the sword... I believed, but couldn't comprehend...

Why didn't he say anything? He knew almost everything about me, Asuna was able to reveal her past to us as well, so why couldn't he...? What's more, if he told us straight away where the Sanctuary was located, it would have spared us a lot of trouble, maybe would even have saved Ioreth... And above all... if he was the rightful successor of the royal family, why couldn't he intervene? Why did he allow the agonizing charade of young master Kazuto to continue without hindrance...?

"Please don't cry..." I suddenly heard the worried voice of the dragoness.

I raised my eyebrows and wiped at my eyes with the hem of my sleeve. I didn't even notice when tears started to drip from them. I must have reached my limit... Somewhere in the distance, a sudden sound of a thunderstorm came to life, reaching the cave with a still soft murmur. The sound resonated among the summits with a metallic echo...

Then, for some weird reason, a question appeared in my mind. One that should have started irking me way sooner. I wiped my cheeks dry at last and lifted the wing with which I unwittingly covered myself. The huge head of the dragoness was close to me once again, the molten eye watching me with concern.

"You didn't even tell me your name..." I said hoarsely.

A warm spark appeared in her eye. "My name is Armailith," she answered softly.

I slowly reached out and stroked the scales on her cheek once more. "Thank you... Armailith..." I whispered. "At least you told me the truth..."

* * *

„ _There's no other way when it comes to the Truth..."_


	37. The Shattered Crystals

The rain missed the part of the mountains in which Armailith's nest was situated, and I spent some time just gloomily watching how the sun changed the pattern of shadows in the cave. Eventually, I fell asleep again. The daze from meeting the dragoness, the depression caused by what I learned from her and the recurring pain in my left wing didn't leave me much strength for anything else.

When I woke up again, it was already dark, only the moon lit up a part of the cavern by the northern wall with its silvery light. I rubbed my eyes, trying to stretch a little without moving my wings. I felt Armailith shift the wing she was shielding me with and lift her head from the hay to look at me. In the light of the moon, she looked like a heap of silvery-golden charcoals.

"Finally..." she purred. "I was afraid I would have to venture out hunting without informing you." She slowly got up to her feet, her scales rustled in that familiar, resonant way... "You must be terribly hungry, you didn't eat for so long. I will come back as soon as I can."

When I nodded, still half-conscious, she carefully climbed onto the rocks surrounding the opening above us. I heard her spread the enormous wings and she leaped into the dark night.

I shook the remnants of sleep off and reached to one of my shoulders. To be honest, I didn't even expect to find my haversack with the food there. I obviously lost it in the commotion... By now, I was incredibly irritated by lying in the same position for hours, but there was nothing for it if I didn't want to make the wing worse. So for now, the only thing I could do was to sink deeper into the little warm pit in the hay, wanting to take a short nap until Armailith returned... but then...

I heard a noise...

Like a quiet whisper of footsteps, like a murmur of a conversation in the distance...

I couldn't stop myself from jolting up from my bedding, even ignoring the sharp pain that shot through my left wing, just praying that this wasn't some illusion... I looked around and spotted the opening of a tunnel, that was hidden behind the enormous body of the dragoness before.

There were two tiny lights flickering in the darkness, two little flames... The joy and relief took my voice away completely...

Fortunately, I didn't need it, because soon Asuna's joyous shout echoed throughout the cave, and she swung her arms around my neck just seconds after. It was the most desperate and most painful hug in my life, but how could I forbid it, when I felt the warm tears on my shoulder... I embraced her and started to stroke her back. I soon felt Eugeo's hand on mine, as he kneeled down next to us with an expression on indescribable relief on his face.

"I'm so glad..." Asuna managed to sob out finally, not even letting go of me. "We were starting to lose hope..."

She pulled back a bit. Her cheeks were wet with tears, but her eyes were smiling brightly like never before. She was dirty almost all over, her pants ripped and blood-stained on her right thigh, but it seemed unimportant to her. Eugeo didn't look any better, and he looked utterly exhausted on top of that...

When Asuna moved away a bit further to put herself in order, Eugeo reached into his pocket... to my surprise, what I saw in his palm the next second was the emerald-green of my sirath.  
I raised my eyebrows and touched my neck involuntarily. I didn't even notice that I lost it...

Eugeo smiled and swung the leather band over my head to put it back where it belonged. He then put his hands on my shoulders and looked me in the eyes. "Please... make sure that whenever I'm holding it in my hands again, I never have to think that this is the only thing left to me..." he said quietly.

I would have liked nothing more than just give him a bear hug at that moment and let my relief and the apologies go free, but... there were still Armailith's words echoing in my mind... _"All this time, you were accompanied by the rightful ruler of Earlindon..."_ I turned my gaze away and nodded simply. I didn't see Eugeo's face, but I could almost feel he was taken aback by my cold reaction...

"What happened to you?" Asuna interrupted the weird silence between us rather quickly. "After you disappeared along with two dragonnes, all we found was a collapsed wall... it was so dense and the rocks so huge, we couldn't find a way through the mass... How did you get here? And why didn't you respond when we were calling you? I was sure we could be heard from afar..."

"I didn't hear... I regained consciousness only this morning, and I couldn't really search for you either... my wing is fractured..."

"Oh no... can I see it?"

She carefully touched the damaged spot when I showed it to her. I shivered upon feeling the brush of her slender fingers on the inner side right below the leading edge and bit my lip, but didn't protest until she finished the examination.

"Well, you had some luck in all of it," she finally stated. "It seems to be broken only in one spot and the parts of the bone are not shifted too much..." Without much hesitation, she took the leather band with her sirath off her neck and repeated Eugeo's previous action before  
I could protest. "You need it more than I do right now."

I just smiled, knowing that I won't convince her. "Thanks."

"What even is this place?" she finally decided to have a look around, curiously eyeing the nest of hay around us. "And how in the world did you manage to get this far with a broken wing?"

For some reason I felt too lazy to answer all those questions... and I decided to leave the explaining to Armailith. The sheer thought of the dragoness and the presumable faces of my companions when they see her was enough to almost make me snort with laughter.

"Did I miss something funny?" Asuna seemed to nevertheless notice the amused glimmer that must have appeared in my eyes.

"Not at all," I replied, trying to keep a straight face. The tone of my voice wouldn't have convinced anyone though.

Asuna and Eugeo exchanged looks, likely silently agreeing on the fact that I might have not been feeling very well still.

Suddenly a loud noise became audible somewhere above our heads and a slight wind picked up. All three of us lifted our heads. I, of course, knew what it meant, but my companions seemed deeply disturbed.

Shortly before the air finished its dance, there was a loud thump, which shook the whole cavern and all of its contents. Eugeo jumped up to his feet. We watched the opening in the dome for a few more moments, before the enormous silhouette of the dragoness appeared against the night sky. The glow of the full moon subtly reflected off of her golden scales... Armailith folded her mighty wings and peeked inside the nest, craning her long neck.

Eugeo sunk back to the hay and Asuna's hands just dropped to her lap.

"Oh, I see we have guests," the dragoness noticed, eyeing them amicably.

For a few moments, there was dead silence in the cave.

"Is that some joke...?" Asuna finally managed to stammer out. "Or... some trick...? Wait, that's probably one of Chrysheight's illusions again. Admit it, you met him here." When I just started to laugh, she smiled a little. "So I'm right."

"Not quite."

Armailith swung her tail from left to right one time, a hint of annoyance perceptible in that movement. "I knew that humans need a long time to believe in anything, but I never would have expected that a druid would call me a joke," she purred.

"But..." Eugeo finally found his voice again as well, "it's impossible... the dragons..."

"Kirito was convinced of that as well, dear Eugeo," the dragoness interrupted him, starting to sound amused. "And yet he had to admit that he was wrong."

I felt Eugeo's stare on me, but I didn't answer it. Armailith slipped into the cave, careful not to damage any of us with her wings or tail and laid back down on the hay. I noticed that she didn't bring anything with her. "You're back really quick..." I started, as if it was the most casual conversation in the world. "I thought you wanted to hunt."

"I did, but I just couldn't concentrate properly. The thought that I left you here all alone didn't give me any peace of mind. Luckily, my worries turned out to be superfluous."

"Are you two having fun?" Asuna suddenly interrupted us.

Seeing the impatience and the still deep shock in her eyes, I decided to finally take pity on her and Eugeo. I sat down comfortably, leaning against Armailith's stomach to lend some support to my broken wing, and briefly summarized what the dragoness told me about the fate of her race earlier that day.

When all doubts were finally dispelled, we made a meal from the remnants of Eugeo's and Asuna's provisions, and Asuna decided to take care of my wing, so it could start healing properly as soon as possible. She dug a few bands of fabric out of her bag, a bit dirtied but long and resistant, and a little wooden container full of some salve with intense, herbal scent. She asked Eugeo to bring some twigs from the brushes growing just outside the cave and soon after my wing was nicely secured and covered in a balm that brought heavenly relief.

Eugeo and Asuna decided to get some well deserved rest early, but I didn't feel like sleeping at all. Two days of just laying in the hay brought back most of my energy. A little past midnight the wind wiped the sky clean of any remaining cloudlets, the night got brighter, full of some peculiar, greenish glow, a part of which was falling into the cave. A few pale stars lit up like small gems on the canopy spread above the opening in the dome. When the only thing audible in the dragoness' hideout was the calm and deep sound of her breath, reminding me of the rush of waves around Tacritia, I carefully got up, got out of the nest as quietly as possible and sat on a big, solitary rock underneath the opening.

I stayed there for a while, following the little dots with my eyes. They were heading for a far away summit, just the very apex of it visible from the cave, black against the imperfect darkness of the sky. I could hear an occasional flutter of a bat's wings, a few of them probably hunting near the brushes outside.

I caught some movement out of the corner of my eye, near Armailith's enormous form, and glanced to my left. A familiar silhouette cautiously circled one of her rear legs and came closer.

"Can't sleep?" asked Eugeo.

"I was sleeping way too much the past two days."

"I see... we had trouble with that. All this time, we were wondering if you were still alive, or if..."

I didn't know how to answer, so I just cast my eyes down. I was scared to talk to him, just like at the beginning, but for a different reason. Right now I was terrified that I could say something that I would regret for the rest of my life.

"Why are you so silent...?" the quiet voice of my friend ripped me out of my thoughts. "Since we found you, you hardly said anything to me... did I do something wrong? Or maybe I said something that offended you...?"

I sighed. "No, it's rather about what you _didn't_ say..."

He tried to look me in the eyes, as if searching for something in them, but kept quiet for  
a long time. I thought I felt something akin to fear from him, followed by silent understanding... Eventually he sighed and looked up at the sky. "Who told you?" his voice sounded depressed, a depression coming from somewhere deeper than this conversation. "Did Asuna connect the dots after all...?"

"That's not the right question to be asked at this point," I remarked, my tone way colder than  
I intended. "I should be the one asking why I didn't learn about it from you, but from  
a dragoness that I got acquainted with just yesterday."

"I hoped so much that I wouldn't need to explain this to you..."

"But I would still prefer if you did."

"Listen..." for some reason, it was Eugeo's turn to sound increasingly irritated, "I had  
a number of reasons, the first of which being the fact, that I hate discussing that topic, because everyone always seems to try and prove that I'm wrong... Besides, I don't think you would have felt very comfortable around me all this time if you knew that you were playing the role of a little usurper who occupied the place that was meant for me all this time..."

There were reasons... I knew immediately that there was so much more behind his words, so much more that he needed to tell me before I understood completely... but at that moment, it didn't stop the soft storm clouds of my eyes to turn into two hard obsidians. "Ah, I see..."  
I muttered, overcome by a sudden anger, but at the same time feeling some unpleasant sting inside my chest. "Good to know what you were thinking about me all this time... it just doesn't quite explain why you didn't seize what's rightfully yours and instead just watched me suffer..."

"You know it's not like that, I didn't..."

"Go to sleep," I interrupted him, trying to stay calm. It was a foreign feeling, to be so angry at him. "I'm sorry I even dared to ask about it _your highness_..."

At those words, Eugeo fell silent completely. After a moment, he turned away from me. Nothing happened for a while, it felt like he was waiting if there would be anything else  
I wanted to say. I did want to, because I already started to feel bad about it all, but the words somehow didn't manage to get past my lips. Finally I heard him leave and return to the nest. Armailith took one deeper breath, which sounded like a sigh... I started to wonder if she heard everything... I slid down the rock to sit by it and lean my back against it. I spent the rest of the night stargazing, and trying to shoo away the feelings of guilt...

* * *

„ _When it rains, look for Rainbows,_

_When it's dark, look for Stars"_


	38. The Foolish Wiseman

I was woken up by a slight pain in my left wing. I felt someone's gentle touch on its sensitive surface along the second alar phalange and wanted to retract it and hide it behind me, but it got held in place by a delicate, but firm hand. I opened my eyes and saw Asuna, kneeling at my side. She was wrapping some fresh fabric around my neatly folded wing, from which the scent of fresh herbs reached me.

"Don't move yet, I'm almost done," she said soothingly, as if not wanting to jolt me awake too brutally.

I just nodded, still half-asleep, and looked around. I must have fallen asleep sitting, leaned against the rock. The warm border of sunlight falling into the cave was glistening on the hay just a little to my left. Further back, I saw Eugeo, talking to Armailith... I turned my head away in anger. Even having eye contact with him made me feel bitter.

"Something wrong?" Asuna got concerned.

"No, nothing," I covered my irritation with a little smile.

"Well, I think that will do it for now," she bound the ends of the dressing into a solid knot and extended her hand to help me to my feet.

I got up and carefully stretched my arms a little, trying to restrain myself from doing the same with my wings. The lack of movement freedom was rather frustrating, but I didn't feel nearly as much pain as before, and the wing was secure. "Thank you... you surpass yourself every time."

Asuna smiled. "Don't mention it. It's the least I can do."

"So... what are we going to do now? I can't fly and we can't just sit here and wait until my bones grow back together."

"Theoretically, I could take you on my back and fly with you..." Armailith interjected, sounding a little regretful.

"Theoretically?"

"Yes, theoretically. I can't leave my children without protection and taking them with me would be even more dangerous."

We all fell silent for a moment. The dragoness would be a huge help, not just now but next time we meet Sharish as well... But we really couldn't risk the safety of those eggs, which the future of the race depended on...

I frowned. I suddenly had an idea, unexpected but simple, like everything that was brilliant...  
I just hoped Armailith would see it the same way...

"And what if we found a place where they would be safe without a doubt?" I started. "Where no one else would be able to enter?"

"Something specific on your mind?" the dragoness seemed interested.

"Yes. A place where only us, the Disciples of the Last Dragons can enter, secured by dragons themselves... what's more, if you were able to steal away the shard of the Sunrise from there without even physically being there, then I'm sure some spell exists, that would make it possible for you to do the same with the eggs, if need be..."

The molten eyes of the dragoness lit up with a more intense glow. "The crypts of the Siracel temple..."

I smiled simply.

Armailith glanced towards her tail, where the eggs lay hidden, then to the sky. "Well then..." she said, lifting herself from the hay and spreading her mighty wings just a little, "you can count on my support."

A happy laugh escaped Asuna's lips and I felt a rush of some new, exciting energy. Now it really started to feel like we stand a chance against Sharish. Eugeo stayed silent...

We started to prepare for our departure. Eugeo and Asuna emptied their bags almost completely, leaving everything that seemed unnecessary behind. They made sure the inside was properly inlaid with hay, so they could transport the eggs securely, and then delicately, as carefully as possible, took them out of their hiding place. Armailith watched every single one of their movements with utmost attentiveness. When the second egg left the pit in the nest,  
I noticed two crystals, one reddish, like a pale ruby, the second resembling dark amber.  
I picked them up and, feeling a faint, magical pulsation, looked at the dragoness.

"Hide them well," she advised. "We don't want them to accidentally fall on some dragonne's head while we fly over Earlindon."

I smiled and put them into my pocket, trying to ignore the feeling of vindictive satisfaction.

Armailith in the meantime sat down low on the ground and extended one of her front legs for me to climb up onto her back. I gave her an unsure look. "Are you scared?" she asked, sounding feisty. "I thought you like flying."

"I do, it's just that I never tried it like this."

"The difference is not that huge, you will see."

I nodded and climbed onto her leg first, then made my way to her back. I sat down between two spikes that were running along her spine all the way to her tail, and she carefully got up and climbed out of the cave through the opening in the dome. Upon looking around I noticed that the entrance to her hideout was wreathed by five not too tall, but sharp summits, forming a huge structure resembling a crown. Eugeo and Asuna already ascended and were hovering above our heads.

Armailith glanced back at me. I held tight to the spike I had in front of me, making sure I was sitting solidly, took a deep breath and nodded. I thought I saw a glimmer of a smile in her eye. "I think it's best if you hold your broken wing with one hand and keep the other tight to your body, otherwise you might get blown away," she gave me one last warning. When I did as she instructed, she approached a nearby chasm, looked around vigilantly and leaped from the edge, the claws of her powerful rear legs leaving marks in the rocks.

It wasn't a very pleasant start for me. The blast of air that hit me literally took my breath away. If it had blown underneath my wings, I would probably be passing by the dragoness' tail quicker than I would be able to start analyzing the situation. And suddenly, just as fast as it caught me off guard, it calmed down once again. I opened my eyes again, which I closed in a rush of panic.

Armailith was gliding in a gentle, sweeping circle above the summits that grew out of the rugged clouds. I curiously took a look around, but the landscape was rather barren. Just the peaks, a few dried clusters of bushes, several tips of some solitary pines, and nothing else. Some variety was provided by a lonely, mountain river, skillfully skimming between the rocks in her way somewhere down, towards the south. It didn't appear to be very dangerous from above, but the foamed surface was proof of the element's force.

We turned west, leaving behind the ominous picturesqueness of the Dragon Mountains, with its mystery play of fogs, sun and wild peaks. Armailith seemed excited. "I almost forgot how Earlindon looks like in daytime," she admitted, when we passed the border of the ridge.

I smiled a little. "It's hard to believe you held it out in there all alone for so long..."  
I answered gently.

"I often wondered how I managed to do that as well, trust me," the dragoness ascended a little more, before asking: "So, is there a difference between the flight of a dragon and that of  
a Disciple?"

"If there is, then it's really small... but it's kind of hard to say when I'm not essentially the one who's flying."

Armailith just laughed.

But there was indeed a little difference. The beating of her wings was heavier, causing bigger leaps in altitude than mine did, and they were more sparse. And I myself got so used to moving my wings while in the air so much, that I had the funny impression I could start falling any moment. But I wasn't afraid. I trusted the dragoness, even though I wasn't sure how one could trust someone after knowing them for so short. A thought crossed my mind, that just a few months earlier, I showed similar trust to the stranger that Eugeo was for me back then...

Armailith had to hold back with the speed quite a lot the whole time, because Eugeo and Asuna just weren't able to keep up with her. Bored by the monotonous flight, she eventually started to take gentle curves in the air, then she ascended and dropped again. She seemed to be in a great mood. And I still struggled with comprehending it all. I was sitting on the back of  
a dragon, a real dragon...

Luckily, we didn't encounter any hindrances this time, the journey was calm and unhurried. Our only little worry were the clouds gathering in the south, announcing a storm. We spotted the outline of Tacritia when the shadows started to grow long in the remnants of the afternoon sun.

Upon seeing it, Armailith ascended even higher. "Maybe I shouldn't show myself to humans just yet," she said, answering my questioning glance.

"Right... that really might be for the best."

We agreed that me and Armailith would say in the air while Eugeo and Asuna safely deposited the eggs in the crypts of the temple. I accepted this decision with delight. I really wasn't in the mood to impersonate young master Kazuto again.

Shortly before our companions dropped towards the earth, I caught a look from Eugeo. Somewhere deep in those emerald eyes loomed a shadow of bitterness and grief... I turned my gaze away. The feeling that I made some huge mistake got stronger all of a sudden...

For some time me and Armailith kept circling above the fields, golden with grain, delighting in the beautiful sights and the warm rays of sun, tinted with the turquoise of the sea. The little sparkles were dancing on the crests of the waves, steadily gaining in size and force.

After returning, Asuna informed us that the first answer to the messages sent out to all Earlindon by the prince just arrived in Tacritia. It came from the nearest harbor city - Leeshan.

"The inhabitants declared their readiness to help and support the Disciples, should any danger come again," she reported. "Heathcliff also mentioned that while we were gone, the citizen of Tacritia declared the will to stand by your side as well..."

"Anything but that," I whined. A shiver run down my spine at the sheer thought of innocent people dying in a fight against Sharish just because they saw the future ruler of Earlindon in me... "I will do everything in my power to prevent open war."

" _We_ will do everything, dear Kirito."

I sighed wearily and leaned my forehead against Armailith's spike. "I'm sorry..."

Asuna gave me a gentle smile. "What would you say to a return to Kaan's mansion?" she suggested. "We achieved quite a bit on this trip and as for now, we don't have further clues. Besides, one of us rendered himself completely unable to do anything..."

"Hey..."

"I mean anything useful."

Despite the hurt look I shot in her direction, I couldn't help but smile a little. And I knew that was exactly what she wanted to achieve. "One way or another, I think it's time for a break," she summarized, pleased with herself.

"I'll do whatever you wish," I gave in without a second thought.

Suddenly the sun vanished and it became a lot darker. It wasn't yet the darkness of approaching night though. We looked towards the clouds. There was a grayish-golden glow with a hint of red seeping through it, and the first, soundless lightning crossed the sky.

"But first, let's find shelter for the night."

Out of lack of better possibilities, we found it under Armailith's wings. She on the other side remarked, that this little rain would do nothing more than clean her scales. Luckily the lightning faded quite quickly and left towards north, leaving us in a moist darkness, excluding the pleasantly dry spot of grass shielded by the dragoness. Outside of it, the ground was releasing little shreds of mist, that glistened palely in the rays of the rarely showing moon.

We left the next day right after dawn, wanting to finish the relaxing way home as soon as possible. For me, a little too relaxing, because I kept snoozing away on Armailith's back, and the dragoness had to wake me up a few times, so the necessity wouldn't arise to catch me on the way to the ground. After some time I started to look for some interesting landmarks among the waving grass of the gentle hills below. What I spotted more frequently though were herds of deer on the borders of small tree clusters, and in the evenings small groups of wolves, traversing the land in search for prey. It was interesting to watch them when I knew they constituted no threat to neither us, nor the birds that shared the sky with us.

We continued our journey a little past sunset, because Armailith was very fond of the sight of the endless, dark waters, when they wrinkled under the touch of moonlight. When the silvery glow slipped down the leaves and trunks of trees in the random clusters of greenery, we put up a camp under one of them and decided to rest.

That night I woke up shortly, or maybe I just dreamed that I did... but I was almost sure I saw Eugeo among the shadows wafting at the edge of our campfire's blaze. He was looking into the distance, seemingly calm, like a slender tree on a windless night... Unfortunately the scent of needles among the grass and the warmth of the day they still emitted soon caused me to fall asleep again before I could give it a deeper thought.

On the last day of our journey we found shelter from a short rain near Ioreth and arrived at Kaan's mansion when the sun's edge just touched the far horizon. As soon as we landed on the eastern side of the residence, and I slid down from Armailith's back, the front door opened and Kaan came out to greet us. I noticed the silhouettes of the few servants in the windows, as usual wearing the cherry-black attires, their faces showing utter terror.

"You're back, finally!" Kaan called out cheerfully. He seemed completely undisturbed by the sight of the dragoness. On the contrary, he looked simply delighted. "I knew it... I knew that one day someone would prove me wrong about the dragons being extinct... I'm honored," he bowed.

Armailith leaned her head towards him to take a good look and greet him as well, before starting to look around curiously. In the meantime, Kaan turned to Asuna. For some reason, there was worry staining his young features. "While you were gone, a little problem arose..."

"What problem?" his concern seemed to instantly reach out into Asuna's voice and envelop it.

"Ronye, she..." Kaan hesitated for a split second, "disappeared..."

"Disappeared...?!" the worry instantly bloomed into panic.

"I'm not sure what happened... it was shortly after you departed. We searched almost everywhere... Maybe Sivath unintentionally scared her somehow, or something happened when she ventured out in the night. I really don't know..."

Suddenly Armailith turned her head towards the forest in the south and inhaled through her nostrils a few times. "Are you talking about that young sykerien watching us from that elm tree over there?" she asked completely casually.

We followed her gaze. The dark silhouette of Ronye, crouched on one of the mighty branches, was barely visible among the shadows in the thicket of leaves. If the dragoness hadn't pointed it out, we probably never would have noticed her.

Asuna ran over to the tree, and the young sykerien jumped down. She immediately embraced Asuna, hugging her head to her chest. Kaan let out a sigh of relief.

"What's the meaning of this, why did you run off like that?" Asuna asked a little sternly, putting her hands on Ronye's shoulders and looking her in the eyes. "I told you many times that Sivath won't harm you, because he knows you already. And even if not, then he probably just wanted to get to know you better..."

Ronye shook her head crisply and shot an unsure glance towards Kaan. She then gently pulled Asuna down a little and whispered something into her ear. Her uneasiness suddenly creeped up into Asuna's eyes.

"Are you sure...?" the older girl asked.

Ronye just nodded. Asuna took her hand and gave Kaan a weird look as well, some faint, undefined spark appearing in her hazel eyes... "Can we go inside?" she asked, coming back to us. "There is something we need to talk about..."

"Sure..." Kaan seemed a little confused. "Let's go."

I frowned. Asuna's tone worried me... I knew her well enough to distinguish an innocent joke from something portending danger.

We entered the residence. Kaan took a moment to set the minds of the servants at ease, and we proceeded to the part of the mansion belonging to us Disciples. We gathered in Eugeo's room, so Armailith would be able to join the conversation by peeking in through the balcony door. When Kaan closed the door after coming in last, Asuna looked at him unsurely. There was a mix of emotions on her features that made it impossible to tell what she was feeling or about to do. She shot me a short glance for some reason.

"Well..." she started, her eyes drifting down to my chest, then returning to our host. "I know this is a rather weird moment to be asking questions like these, but it occurred to me... that you never told any of us what your family name is..."

These words caused the usual hearty smile to vanish from Kaan's face, replaced by a shadow of fear. Eugeo stirred nervously and cast a short glance in my direction. I squinted. For some reason the atmosphere in the room suddenly became as fragile as glass.

"Is my family name really of any importance?" asked Kaan finally, clearly forcing a carefree tone.

"It is..." Asuna's voice gave away that she became more and more sure of something with every second. "It wouldn't be, if it weren't for some interesting fact... You see, Ronye, like any other sykerien, has a strong sense of smell... When we visited the Silivren Forest some time ago, she accidentally got captured by Sharish. His scent stayed deep in her memory... when we left for Tacritia, and she started to spend time with you alone, something curious caught her attention..." Asuna's hand squeezed Ronye's a little. "Your scent and that of Sharish are unusually similar..."

Kaan didn't answer. He just hung his head, his dark hair covering his eyes...

* * *

„ _A Wind blows, talking about you_

_Telling me: go… go back…"_


	39. The Difference is Power

The only thing I was able to do was stare in terror. It just... couldn't be true...

Kaan didn't say a word, it seemed he was holding his breath. We just heard one short, shaky inhale, after which a long silence fell upon the room, his green eyes staring at the floor. After what seemed like a full minute, he lifted his head a little and glanced at Eugeo, but he only shook his head.

"I guess further fabricating makes no sense..." Kaan finally said, sadness evident in his voice. "I didn't expect something so trivial to give me away..." he took a deep breath. "Yes, it's true... my family name is Caydranth..."

My legs almost gave up on me. I heard Armailith's loud growl from outside, almost making the glass in the windows vibrate. I dared a look at Eugeo.

He was sitting with his head down, his slender fingers clenching the navy-blue fabric of his bed sheets... The realization made an ice-cold chill creep up in my chest. This just couldn't be happening for real...

"You knew about this..." I started quietly, fearing that any louder sound could irreversibly seal this cruel truth. "You knew from the very beginning..."

"I did..." he whispered.

"So that's why... that's why Sharish always knew where we were and what we were doing..."

"No, it's not like..."

"That's why you didn't want to reveal the answer to that riddle even though you knew far too well where the Sanctuary is hidden! And that's why you insisted so much on not destroying the shard of the Sunrise! You wanted him to have his fun with it!" I shot an accusing glance towards Kaan.

"Yes, but..." Eugeo trailed off when I hung my head, breathing heavily, trying not to completely lose control over myself. Kaan still didn't seem to dare to say anything, even Asuna was strangely silent...

I lifted my head again after a long moment, failing to fight away the tears that were insisting to see the outside world. "I trusted you..." I said, my voice even more bitter than I intended. "I trusted you this whole time, I thought we can rely on you, and you... you simply betrayed us..."

"No, Kirito that's not true..."

"Kirito, this really isn't the way you think..." Kaan finally found his voice.

"How is it then?! Am I supposed to believe that all of this is just a harmless coincidence?! That I should give another chance to someone who gave us away?!"

What happened after those words left my lips, happened in a few short seconds.

Eugeo stood up abruptly, and before I was able to really register it, he was standing right in front of me. All I could do was blink when his hand suddenly flashed before my chest, ripping my sirath from my neck. I took a shocked step back, Armailith's warning growl coming from outside.

But then Eugeo grabbed my wrist, placed the crystal in my palm and clenched my fingers around it with his own. I tried to wrench myself free from his surprisingly strong grip, but he grabbed my shoulder with his other hand and shook me once, but firm. "Come to your senses, Kirito!" I almost hunched from his shout. "Did one stupid secret make you hate me so much that you ignore even what your sirath is telling you?!"

For a moment, there was dead silence in the room. Ronye suddenly cowered behind Asuna.

"You know me well enough to know that I wouldn't do something like this without a reason..." Eugeo continued, his voice a little calmer. "I didn't keep silent to spite you, or to harm you. It's not as easy as you think... Why won't you let us explain...? Kaan is not against us, he's trying to help us to the best of his ability. He's Sharish's brother, so what? You shouldn't judge people by who their family is... No matter if it's your greatest foe's family, or the royal lineage..." Now Eugeo's voice dropped to nearly a whisper. "Why do you treat me like I'm your enemy...? Did I lie when I said that I want to stay by your side...? Did I lie when I said that I want to protect you and see the end of this fight with you...?"

I felt something break inside my chest... Eugeo's grip on my shoulder was painful, but there was something that hurt much worse... the ice-cold of the sirath in my hand and the despair in my friend's voice, which almost pierced through to the very bottom of my mind...

How could I have been so blind...?

I closed my eyes, feeling a single, lonely tear trace a cold line down my cheek. "No..." I said, my voice trembling despite my best efforts. "You didn't..."

Eugeo let go of me, the sirath falling to the floor with a quiet, crystalline clink. A second after, I felt Eugeo's arms around me, gently pulling me into a hug. "I'm sorry..." I stammered out. "I'm sorry, I... have no idea what's gotten into me..."

"It's okay..." the relief in Eugeo's voice was almost palpable. "You were in so much stress lately... the most important thing is that you came to your senses..."

I wiped my eyes chaotically and looked him in the eyes. The guilty look on my face must have been enough for him, because he just shook his head, telling me there is no need for further apologies. "But..." I said instead, "if Kaan is just helping us... couldn't you just have told us?"

Eugeo picked up my sirath and sat down on the bed again, gesturing me to do the same. When I joined him, he placed the crystal in my palm once more and took a few moments to gather his thoughts.

"There were a few reasons for the silence," he started. "First of all, Kaan just didn't want to reveal this unpleasant fact. Me neither, to be honest... We were aware that you wouldn't be able to fully trust him if you knew who he is. That's why he wanted to gain your trust first, and then reveal the truth. We didn't think Ertralia could just expose us like that..." Eugeo made a short pause, as if wondering how to continue. He glanced at me. "Do you remember our first meeting, when I told you that one day I will introduce you to the person who told me that I'm a Disciple and gave me our siraths?"

"Of course."

"Well, I already did that," Eugeo pointed to Kaan, who managed a sheepish smile.

"How come?" Asuna found her voice again. "Why were they in your possession?"

"Irony of fate..." Kaan's voice still sounded a little unsure. "It all started when I was still living with my brother, in the keep that you unintentionally razed to the ground..." When Asuna rose her eyebrows, clearly surprised, he continued: "Yes, unfortunately, I was there... I knew what Sharish did to you..." Kaan bowed before her, regret and bitterness staining his usually cheerful face, as if everything we saw until now was just a façade to hide all the pain these circumstances were causing him. "Please forgive me that I couldn't help you..."

Asuna approached him and gently put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure it wasn't your fault... But if you lived there on a daily basis, then Sharish surely took all pains to make sure you're on his side. How did you manage to escape this madness? And through what miracle did you survive what I did...? I didn't see any survivors among the ruins other that Sharish..."

"At that time, I was already away from there, fortunately. I left the castle just a few hours prior."

"You escaped?"

"Not quite. You know... I never supported what my brother was doing. It's just that he wasn't aware of it, and I wasn't very eager to make it clear to him. When Chrysheight returned to the stronghold with the news on Kirito's escape from the royal castle, Sharish decided to take care of the last of the Disciples for a change, so someone from the Nitrael lineage..."

"Of course, I heard that conversation..." Asuna was genuinely confused. "It's unbelievable that I didn't recognize your voice later..."

Kaan managed a small smile. "I guess the thick walls might have distorted it a little."

"Probably..."

"Sharish even went as far as sending some assassins to help me, should I fail to convince the Disciple of Ralethiel. If he didn't agree to cooperate, they were supposed to... let's say... eliminate the threat through slitting his throat..."

Eugeo's eyebrows rose higher than mine. "I didn't know that," he said, clearly surprised.

"I didn't want to cause you stress," Kaan laughed nervously.

"But what happened to them, since none actually reached me?"

"I'm not responsible for what happened to them next, but if it comes to handing them over to Chrysheight, then I confess my guilt."

Eugeo just smiled, shaking his head and letting Kaan continue.

"My brother gave me Eugeo's sirath, so I could give it to him should he agree to join us, but shortly before departing I sneaked into his chamber and stole a second one - Kirito's. Please don't ask me how they ended up in his possession, because I honestly don't know... I set out on my mission, from which I never returned. Once I reached Hreshia, I quickly found Eugeo, but instead of pulling him to 'our' side, I told him the whole truth. We quickly found common ground. Eugeo set out on a search for you two, and I hid here, in the place I've built in secret, surrounding it with spells so that Sharish would not be able to find it as long as possible. I managed to achieve this thanks to a shard of the Sunrise, one of two that were in mine and my brother's possession. I had to part with it rather quickly though...

Chrysheight paid me a visit shortly before Sharish found this place. He warned me that my brother is looking for me, and will probably succeed soon, guided by the magic of my shard. It also turned out that I was the reason why those two went on their separate ways, because Sharish didn't want to believe that his own brother stole the sirath and he stubbornly accused Chrysheight," Kaan smiled a little. "Chrysheight is a curious mage, with death in place of his shadow... but for some reason very veracious. Which is why I entrusted my shard to him, so he could wander around Earlindon with it, confusing Sharish in the process. I had to force him to promise me something though. If Sharish were to find this place, he was to return here and pass the shard on to you, along with an explanation... Unfortunately this vicinity must have caught my brother's attention beforehand, if he arrived shortly after that... Luckily though, the shard wasn't in my possession anymore at that time, so Sharish didn't sense it and apparently didn't suspect that the residence he decided to invade concealed his trembling at that moment relative... I told Eugeo about the secret of the Sunrise a day after the shard found its way to your hands. I didn't want you to accidentally send it to the Sanctuary... I really wanted to help, but without even one shard of the Sunrise, my magic is like kid's play compared to Sharish's... all I could do was make Eugeo and Chrysheight lead you down this path that would hopefully lead to me standing at your side one day, able to defeat my brother with his own weapon..." Kaan sighed and bowed deeply, with repentance. "I'm sorry... please forgive me for misleading you and that Eugeo had to lie on my behalf... I'm really, really sorry..."

I tightened my grip on my sirath. It stayed cold during the whole explanation, but it wasn't this icy, painful cold from before. This chill was mysteriously pleasant, calming... I glanced at Asuna, meeting her questioning look. I smiled and nodded without hesitation, dispelling the last remnants of doubt.

Upon seeing that, Ronye, who was still hiding behind Asuna, let go of her tunic, ran up to Kaan and swung her frail arms around his waist, hugging her head to his chest. Utter bewilderment bloomed on the face of the Caydranth lineage's young successor.

"I'm sorry..." Ronye lifted her head and looked at him, her sapphire eyes pleading and full of regret. "I'm sorry I ran away..."

The usual, bright smile finally returned to Kaan's features. "You have nothing to apologize for," he reassured her warmly, giving her head a few careful pats. Somehow he managed to perfectly mix cheerfulness with a silent apology towards us all in his voice. He was the type of person one couldn't be mad at for long anyway...

"Then what was all that arguing for?" we heard Armailith's voice from outside.

"You said yourself that we like to complicate things," I shot back.

"You should have learned by now that sometimes even if there are hundreds of facts, there is only one truth."

"Yeah, and it seems like knowing half of it is far more dangerous than knowing the whole truth..."

"Well then," Kaan lifted his head again. It was nice to see a genuine smile return to his face, though something in his expression has changed, like a dark secret that he long struggled to conceal, but now didn't feel the need to anymore, had no fear of wearing it in the open in front of the people he trusted. "I suggest we celebrate this somehow. I will make sure the cook doesn't burn the roast due to the shock, and you three..." he threw each of us an amused look, "could set yourselves in order in the meantime. You look like something the cat brought in."

I glanced at Eugeo, catching his stare and we laughed, Asuna soon joining us. We weren't bothered by it for the last few days, and we didn't plan to mind now.

* * *

„ _Nothing in Life is to be feared_

_It is only to be understood..."_


	40. Let the small voice in the Silence become a Promise...

After a hot bath and a delicious meal prepared by the still shaken cook, we called it a day early. I missed my warm, fluffy bed so much... and yet, I couldn't fall asleep.

Lying on my side, I studied the symbols carved in the wall above the window for a while, the sky outside getting darker and darker. I knew them well by now, but looked at them in a completely different way after today... Now I knew they served as anchoring points for powerful spells that kept us safe from the very first day we arrived in this mansion. It was funny that it never even crossed my mind before...

A quiet sigh escaping my lips, I shifted my gaze slightly below, to the subtle, dark lines of the last swallows flashing outside the window, bidding farewell to the dim glow of the vanishing day. The sting of guilt caused by what I did to Eugeo still remained in my chest... along with a faint echo of fear. Eugeo was always the calm and collected one, never getting angry, his words always balanced. At least until today. I thought I was going to be the only one to lose temper, never suspecting that Eugeo could rise his voice, get furious like this... It scared me in a way, but also made me realize what an idiot I must have been to even make it go that far.

I stood up, walked over to the window and leaned on the windowsill. I took a deep breath of the fresh, evening air. A gentle, soft darkness was shrouding the landscape, the moon just appearing low above the tops of the pines. I glanced down.

Armailith was lying comfortably on the biggest (small for her) open space between the residence and the tree line, her front legs crossed on the sand just by the edge of the water, which didn't speak with even the most silent of splashes that night. She was busy observing the picturesque surroundings, hiding their beauty under the cloak of dusk, as if she could see the stripes of coniferous and mixed woods guarding the clear waters and occasional tufts of reed despite the darkness. I smiled inwardly and started to watch her, propping my chin on my crossed wrists. From above she looked like a huge ball of gold. Help that came unexpected was really a double blessing...

Not so long ago we thought we were alone and wouldn't be able to handle this whole mess, but now... we were joined by a real dragon. Not to mention the brother of Sharish himself, who, with the help of the Sunrise's shards that we collected, could prove to be a distinct advantage over our enemy...

My thoughts got interrupted by Armailith, who must have sensed my stare and turned her enormous head towards me. She didn't even have to stretch her neck, on the contrary, she had to bend it a little so her snout could reach the level of my window. It was still kind of mindblowing how huge she actually was.

"Why aren't you sleeping yet?" she asked gently.

"I can't fall asleep..."

"That's strange, you seem tired," she paused for a second, examining me with those piercing eyes. "Is something troubling you?"

"It's nothing important, don't worry," I smiled reassuringly.

"Still, something is weighting your heart down..." the dragoness lifted one of her wings so that its surface reached the level of the windowsill. To my questioning look, she added: "If you can't sleep anyway, maybe you'd like to keep me company?"

Without deliberating much, I climbed up and, hugging my wings tightly to my body, squeezed through the narrow window out into the forest-scented night. I couldn't stop a pale smile. I managed to find at least one bright side to not being of the tallest posture for my age. I crouched on the wing's surface to keep my balance and Armailith carefully drew it back to her body.

"Maybe you want to share what's not letting you sleep after all?" she tried again.

I slid down the smooth scales to the ground and sat on the grass, leaning my back against her pleasantly warm stomach. I could smell the faint, sour scent of thallus coming from between the trees, probably portending bad weather. For now though, the forest was silent, immersed in a solidary sleep with the lake.

"I just... feel like a fool for how I treated Eugeo..." I finally admitted.

"I'm sure he doesn't blame you."

"Probably, but still..." I glanced to the grass and pulled out one of the blades. "This whole argument was totally unnecessary..."

"Sometimes you need to cross a boundary to remember where it lies," Armailith yawned shortly, showing the impressive, white fangs. "But you could have at least let others sleep peacefully at night."

A sudden wave of uneasiness hit me. So she wasn't sleeping that night after all...

"Am I to understand that this adorable blush is supposed to mean 'yes, you're right'?" the dragoness teased, clearly amused.

I looked away, pretending to fix the unruly bangs that were getting into my eyes.

"There is nothing to be embarrassed about, Kirito. You're both young and everyone is bound to make mistakes at the beginning of their path. But you are aware how ephemeral a footprint on the sand is... Human life is short, even if supported by the vitality of dragons. Sometimes the other can vanish before you get the chance to apologize... Which is why it's best to solve misunderstandings as quickly as possible, and not drown in presumptions."

A tiny sigh escaped me. What else was there to add...?

"But if you regret it that much," Armailith lifted her gaze towards the residence, "then maybe just tell him that you do?"

My eyebrows rose, and after them went my eyes, following her gaze.

The balcony door next to my window was slightly ajar, the hazy glow of a candle's flame coming from inside. Was Eugeo still awake too? I glanced at Armailith. Maybe she was right... maybe all we needed was a talk... A silent call of an owl came from somewhere in the resin-scented darkness, agreeing with my thoughts.

"Can you help me?" I finally asked.

The dragoness gave me a warm look and offered the tip of her tail for me to climb onto. When I tightly gripped one of the spikes, she carefully lifted me to the balcony. I leaned forward a little and peeked into the room between the dark curtains.

Eugeo was sitting on the bed, a book on his lap, but he didn't seem to pay it much attention. His dimmed stare was fixed on the ceiling, his back against a big pillow, his mind seeming deep in thought. I watched him for a few moments, debating whether or not I should really disturb him, when Eugeo suddenly closed his eyes and a delicate, warm smile appeared on his lips.

"Since you're already here Kirito, why don't you come in?" he said out of the blue. "I wouldn't want you to accidentally break something else."

I almost lost my balance. I grabbed the railing with one hand, shoved away the short wave of panic and hesitantly looked to Armailith. The dragoness just nodded, her eyes sparkling in silent laughter. "Don't run away if no one is chasing you, my boy," she quietly said.

All that was left for me to do was to shake my head, smiling, and jump from her tail to the balcony.

I drew one of the navy-blue curtains back a little and looked at Eugeo, torn between the desire to enter and the urge to flee back outside. "I'm sorry if I disturbed you..." I started.

"It's alright, I wasn't able to concentrate anyway."

"How did you know I was there?"

In response, Eugeo took the leather band of his sirath between two fingers and jiggled it gently. I frowned, reaching to my own stone... and my fingers met two extra ones, that answered my touch with a quiet chime... I completely forgot that I still had Asuna's sirath on my neck. I've gotten used to the sounds it was making by now.

I couldn't help but laugh a little. "I see, my mistake."

Eugeo smiled. "I thought you were long asleep... what were you doing out there?"

"Talking to Armailith..." I perched on the edge of the bed, at its feet. "I couldn't sleep."

Eugeo just kept looking at me almost interrogatively, clearly sensing that there was something I wanted to tell him. I had to turn my gaze away. "I... I wanted to apologize for my behavior in the last few days..." I choked out.

"You have nothing to apologize for. It was my own fault."

"That's not true, I..." my voice caught in my throat. I didn't exactly know how to deny that. It was partially true.

A gentle smile rippled the clear, expressive depths of Eugeo's eyes. "I know you feel guilty and don't want to blame me, but that's the truth, you see it yourself."

"But I contributed to it. I should have asked, given it more thought..."

"You see, by knowing all of you, Kaan included, I learned that someone of a devoted heart often has a restive tongue to accompany it."

The amused sparks in Eugeo's eyes finally summoned a smile on my lips.

"Let's just forget about it," he suggested. "The situation is almost constantly tense, and any incautiously said word can cause an unintentional and foolish argument."

"Yeah... so much has happened lately..."

"You know, I didn't believe for even a second that you started all of this on purpose," Eugeo closed his book and put it on the night table, next to the candle. "I didn't blame you for it. You seemed exhausted and a little jittery from the dragonne's attack, meeting Armailith and what you learned from her... As soon as it became clear what Ronye knew, I realized that it would cross the limit of your endurance. What I didn't expect were your words that also crossed mine..."

I didn't answer. It hit me that Eugeo must have had an equally hard time as me in the last few days. If not harder...

I heard Eugeo's silent sigh and lifted my head to see him settling more comfortably on his pillows and grabbing two others. "Come on," he said simply, putting his hand on the soft bedding next to himself.

I joined him. As soon as I sunk into the soft feathers, Eugeo circled his arm behind my back and pulled me slightly closer. There was a moment where I reflexively debated if I should move away, but I couldn't. I just leaned my head on his bony shoulder and closed my eyes, smiling. I finally felt like I could fall asleep... I guess this was what I was missing this whole time...

Maybe that was the reason I felt so uneasy lately, and quickly lost my composure... I missed the serenity and ease that the arms of someone trusted brought with them... Armailith was taking care of me like a mother would of her cub since I woke up in her nest, but that wasn't quite the same...

"Do you miss them...?" Eugeo's whisper reached my ears.

"Who...?" I mumbled sleepily, not even bothering to open my eyes.

"Your family... Alice..."

I had to stay silent for a brief moment. Sometimes it felt like Eugeo could read minds... "I do... a lot..."

"If you want, we can visit them again. You promised after all..."

I shook my head even before he finished. "I would love to, but... Sharish is so unpredictable lately. I don't want him to accidentally come up with the idea of razing my village to the ground if he happens to watch us again... I don't want them to get involved further..."

"I understand, but... you are aware that they are worried, right? And so am I... you just seem so depressed lately..."

"There is nothing to worry about, really. The situation is recoiling on all of us, Asuna and Kaan included, I guess it's just showing a bit more on my pretty face."

Eugeo let out a breath that was a shadow of a laugh. "There is nothing wrong about it, Kirito. I'm worried too and I miss my family... Especially my sister..."

"You have a sister?" I threw him a curious look.

"Yeah..." a sad smile found its way to my friend's lips. "She's two years younger and she's kind of a little treasure to me... It was... difficult to leave her and my mother, but I too didn't want them to get involved. I didn't want them to be in danger because of me..."

I took a moment to think about my next words. "Armailith told me that you fled from home because you knew that no one would allow you to just venture out into the world, you being the successor... Don't you think you made them worry more than they normally would? They have no idea where you went, if you're even still alive..."

"I left them a letter with an explanation... I know it's not much, but I couldn't just tell them everything, they would probably have locked me in somewhere rather than let me go. Besides... I don't think I would have had the courage to tell Yuuki in her face that I have to leave... she's cried enough because of me, and so did my mother. But... right now it's probably no different..."

"Wait... they cried because of you before you left?"

The sigh that escaped Eugeo seemed to come from the very bottom of his soul. "I was nothing but worry for my family for years... I always refused to accept my right to rule, that being born in the Nitrael family gave me. I just wanted to be normal, longed for freedom. Which was the source of many quarrels with my father, who wanted us to reclaim what was rightfully ours. I often fled from home, hid in the city or somewhere in the mountains... during one of those escapades I had the luck of meeting Sitriel. He always willingly listened to the worries that weighted my heart down. He was also the one who often convinced me to return home quicker than I had in the past... I stopped running from my problems only when I noticed that my mother started to get depressive and I heard Yuuki's sobbing next door at night..."

Eugeo paused, but I didn't respond in any way. I felt happy that my friend was opening himself to me, even if it hurt both our hearts. I wanted to respect that. The only thing I did was a gentle squeeze that I gave his hand. Luckily, their subtle answer told me that he was still with me, wasn't entirely gone in the world of painful memories.

"I loved my father, despite the differences in our beliefs," Eugeo resumed his story. "And I knew he loved me back, he just wanted the best for all of us... but I still didn't want to have anything to do with the throne. The stress I caused him was probably the reason why he suddenly fell ill and passed away shortly after. And I... even when he was lying on his death bed, I couldn't overcome my stubbornness... even when he used the remnants of his strength to ask me to take the throne of Earlindon if I get a chance... I couldn't promise that I will... not even lie about it... how heartless and egoistic one must be..."

I suddenly felt something delicate and warm on the back of my hand. I tore my absent gaze away from the blue of the bed sheets and saw a tiny tear, glittering silvery in the misty glow of the candle. I've seen Eugeo cry before... but this time his tears spoke to me more clearly than ever.

"How did you manage to endure all this..." I asked in disbelief. "When shortly after Sitriel's death was added to it..." I trailed off. I wasn't sure if it was the fact that I didn't know what to say that made me stop, or was it the fear that I could break him if I went any further...?

But Eugeo just smiled, the saddest smile I've ever seen. "If you're at the bottom, you can't look further down. I had to look up... Even if there was still something beneath me, I didn't want to see it." He let out a quiet sigh. "You probably shouldn't pay attention to me Kirito... I'm not worth it... I just constantly make somebody cry, cause problems... to my family, to Asuna, to you... I'm just a selfish, stubborn idiot, that's all..."

"You're not!" I interrupted him, unable to tolerate this kind of nonsense. "If it was true... I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't have followed you that day, you wouldn't have become someone so important to me." I shifted on the bedding and put my hand to his shoulder to make him look me in the eyes. "Everyone makes mistakes sometimes, I myself made more than I can count. I regretted my actions so many times already... But you can't just force yourself to change, you can't suddenly become someone you're not, someone who others would like you to be. Didn't you say yourself: 'It's you who has to decide what feels right to you and what course of action doesn't cause you to have any regrets in life'... You can't change who you are at the bottom of your heart and soul. I thought that I knew why you told me that back then, but only now your words started to make some twisted and deep sense... You are who you are and that's what the people close to you love you for... And it's the true you who I accepted as my best friend... a partner whom I trust unconditionally... and who I feel trusts me, even though I made misunderstanding him almost into an art..."

Eugeo gave me a sad smile... and a thought crossed my mind, that just like a lake can be as blue as the sky that it reflects, the same way eyes were reflecting the soul and the heart. I saw everything in them, the sadness, the guilt, the relief at my words... I saw them just for a moment though, because Eugeo shyly wrapped his arms around me and hid his face in my shoulder.

"You know..." his voice was so silent that it almost got drowned out by the rustle of leaves outside, "Sitriel once said something similar... shortly after my father passed away..."

"Oh... really?"

Eugeo nodded, his hair tickling my neck. "Thank you..."

We both leaned on the pillows again and just stayed in silence for some time, the wind coming in from the ajar balcony door gently moving the curtains. It didn't take me long to start feeling sleepy, Eugeo's soft, steady breath becoming a not quite comprehensible, but beautiful lullaby...

Before I could drift off for good though, he moved again, pulling us both down and removing the excess pillows. When I lazily opened my eyes to give him a questioning look, he smiled slightly. "Your eyes are red... it's obvious you're exhausted," his soothing voice didn't help me to fight my drowsiness. "We should both sleep."

"But shouldn't I rather..."

He shook his head. "Nope. Don't worry, this bed is too big even for two."

The warm sparks in his eyes were enough to convince me. I helped him to cover us both with the quilt, pleasantly warm at the spot where we were just sitting and closed my eyes again. Before I blacked out, I felt Eugeo's lips brush my forehead. It was a gesture that spoke volumes, more than most of the words he gave me this evening did. Like he wanted to say that he trusted me and wanted to keep protecting me even if I stabbed him in the back. Which I knew would never happen. I would have rather pointed that blade at my own heart.

It's been weeks since I enjoyed a sleep as deep and peaceful as that night...

* * *

„ _Silence should be embraced by Purity_

_The Night is already silently erasing Mistakes..."_


	41. A Path through the darkening Mist

The first thing I saw when I woke up was a small book lying next to my pillow. There was a thin, velvet ribbon poking out from between the pages, serving as a marker. I took a long, lazy moment to wonder why it was there, why was it lying between mine and one other pillow that I didn't need, and why the delicate rays that the sun seeped into the room had a tint of blue instead of green. Eventually my stupid with sleep brain caught up and I realized where I was and how I got there. I smiled at Eugeo's face, still peaceful and very much dead to the world. Not feeling like sleeping anymore, I carefully stood up, trying my best not to wake him up.

I spread the curtains just a little bit more, widening the gap available for the light to come in, and slipped out onto the balcony. There were only a few grey cloudlets wafting in the sky, occasionally veiling the sun. I stretched contently and glanced down. Armailith, of course, wasn't there anymore. I looked around and spotted her lazily splashing about on the shallows not far away, near the shore. She noticed me as well and soon approached, coming out of the lake and causing sizeable waves to crash into the mansion's walls with a loud rush.

"I thought you will not wake up at all today," she said, shaking off the water from her enormous wings and unintentionally splattering me and the whole eastern facade of the building. "Oh... I'm sorry..." she immediately huffed with worry, seeing me reflexively cover myself with my arms, the only thing I accomplished by doing it being my face getting soaked a little less than my sleeves.

I simply laughed out loud. I felt nicely brisk and fully awake now. "It's okay," I soothed cheerfully, pushing my wet bangs away from my eyes. "You spared me the morning toilet."

"I recommend myself for the future," she swayed her tail playfully. "And where's Eugeo? Maybe he would fancy an early bath too?"

"I'm sure he would, but let's allow him to sleep some more."

"He's not up yet?" the dragoness lowered her voice and leaned her head down a little to try and peek through the blue curtains. "Well... that's not really a big surprise. He almost didn't sleep the last two nights..."

"Wait, what...?"

"I think he was pretty distressed because of your argument... I'm glad you grew wiser, a bit longer and it might have ended poorly for him. And if it weren't for that natural strength you received from the Last Dragons, he probably would be lying ill as we speak."

I glanced over my shoulder, feeling a nasty sting somewhere near my heart. "Did you talk to him about that...?" I asked quietly.

"Talking wasn't necessary, a look was enough." Seeing a shadow of guilt on my face, Armailith added: "Don't blame yourself so much. You apologized enough. He forgave you before even a thought about being wrong crossed your mind."

A small, sad smile on my lips, I returned to the room and carefully sat down on the edge of the bed, by Eugeo's side.

I swore to myself that I would never repeat something this stupid ever again. That I would never again be a source of grief for him, would never hurt him like that. He had such a kind heart... and had to suffer so much already... a quiet sigh escaped my soul. How in the world did I even come up with the idea of blaming him for hiding his true identity from everyone? I was doing the exact same thing, not accepting my role as a king, denying my right to rule. The only difference was that I was an imposter, plain and simple, and he was the real thing. So I was even worse. Absolutely none of this was his fault...

It took some time for Eugeo to wake up, but I didn't leave his side. As soon as he did though, I didn't even wait for him to regain consciousness fully. The moment he got out of the quilt, I pulled him outside, onto the balcony. Armailith was already waiting there, after another little bath, and this time we both were treated with a generous amount of water from her wings. The cheerful laughs of first us pranksters, then of Eugeo himself, lured Asuna into the room, and she invited us to breakfast. Armailith decided to find something to eat as well, so we quickly changed and joined Kaan, Ronye and Sivath upstairs. The younger girl and the dog suddenly appeared to be the best of friends.

"Chrysheight paid me a visit while you were away," Kaan admitted towards the end of our meal. The colorful shards of the Sunrise of Earlindon that we collected were lying in front of him between a jar of milk and his plate. "He informed me that Sharish partially rebuilt the stronghold that Asuna once destroyed and is currently hiding there. And knowing that, I think we could try some initial reconnaissance and maybe a little assault, if the circumstances are in our favor... the less time he will have for plotting, the better."

"Yeah..." Eugeo agreed. "I don't really want to see other hybrids or find more burned cities. We just have to wait till Kirito's wing grows together..."

"I can fly with Armailith," I cut into the conversation, not really liking the role of someone who is slowing down all strategies.

"That's not a good idea. I know how you feel but if you and Armailith accidentally got separated, you wouldn't have much chance of escape."

I held back a sigh. "Fine... but how do you plan to get there anyway? Even if you take the fastest horse from your stables, it will take you way longer than us flying."

"Dear Kirito..." Kaan sent an amused glance my way, pointing to the crystals glimmering on the table. "I have lots of magical energy at my disposal now. A mage in possession of such resources can travel from one place to another within a second. Didn't you know that?"

"I didn't. I'm not a mage, I'm just an ordinary Disciple of Sariarin, the Black Dragon."

"I think we should play the next move a little less aggressively," interjected Asuna from the other end of the table, putting down her fork with a hint of amusement. "Hasty thrusts tend to miss the target."

"What exactly do you have in mind?"

The young druid entwined her fingers and gently leaned her chin on them. "I agree with the reconnaissance part, searching the surroundings and maybe a part of the stronghold if it's safe enough to do without giving away our presence. I wouldn't want anything unexpected to wait for us there once we decide to actually strike. But I'm against an assault, and we should pay the initial visit without Armailith, she stands out too much."

"Maybe you're right... we should rather use her as an element of surprise. The same goes for Kaan."

"Exactly," Asuna pointed at Eugeo with her fork before impaling the last leaflet of her lettuce on it.

"Better not repeat that loudly in Armailith's presence," I smiled. "First she was called 'a joke', now 'an element of surprise' that you want to use..."

"I agree with both the plan and the keeping quiet part," Kaan sounded amused. "But maybe... the four of us will go, though only you three will enter the stronghold. Sharish could sense my presence, even more so if I'll bring the shards with me. We will agree on some amount of time after which I will come to rescue if you don't return."

"But you could miss out on the best part that way," Asuna joked.

"Oh, that's alright with me. I'm sure I'll get my opportunity to restore my brother's class consciousness later. Once you've collected some information, I will add my knowledge about the surroundings and his crooked customs and weave some graceful plan out of it."

"And if it turns out that he's just getting ready to make some new, nasty move? Or if we get a good opportunity to cause some harm and slow down his schemes without giving ourselves away? Should we still play it careful, or try to stir his plans a little?"

"The latter, the latter," Kaan induced happily.

We could only smile.

The next few days passed in anticipation for my bones to grow back together, and Asuna spared no effort to make it happen as quickly as possible. She took care of my wing every morning, which caused me not only to be extremely grateful, but also to enjoy it more than any medication I ever had. Healing performed by her resembled magic full of scents and caresses more than it resembled actual healing. Most of the afternoons she spent with Eugeo in the air, continuing the training. I always watched them from the ground and was pleased to notice that my best friend succeeded at outsmarting her in the small challenges she set for him more and more often.

I wasn't idle in the meantime either. I spent hours with Armailith or Ronye and Sivath in the shadows of the solitary junipers that wreathed the shore and concentrated on seemingly trivial fun with fire. I was sure that the more I got used to summoning it, the easier it will be later to use it spontaneously in heated situations. And because I couldn't exercise flying, I concentrated on it so much, that on the fourth day after our return to the mansion I was creating fanciful shapes and images made of flames, from fiery flowers to even little dragons flying near the shore above the small, white feathers of the lake's delicate waves.

One day the huge, flaming dragonne I created pulled my two worried friends back to earth for a moment. Asuna expressed her awe at the effects of my training and, to my joy, proposed to take the stiffening off of my wing. She advised me to do some stretching exercise till the next day and promised she would allow me a test flight if I wouldn't feel any more pain or discomfort. That test flight was all I could think of for the next twenty four hours and I had a feeling I wouldn't come down to earth very quickly even if some complications arose in the middle of it. Luckily, everything went well the next day and Eugeo, who insisted to accompany me just in case, had to force me to return so we both wouldn't starve.

Finally, we landed on the balcony of the highest floor of the mansion, from which Asuna watched us vigilantly and with a shadow of anxiety. On that day she caused me to have one of those short moments when I really envied Kaan. The last rays of the setting sun gave her hair a unique shine and the soundless breeze from the lake subtly rustled her slender, lavender dress full of frills. I knew it was a gift from Kaan and that she wouldn't have put on something this impractical if she had something more complicated to do that day than setting the table and watching over her two 'winged kinsmen of mules' in the sky. If it were up to me though, there was no need to convince her to return to her usual clothing. The word 'gorgeous' would still be an understatement to describe her.

There was something else that caught my attention more though. The dress was elegantly showing a part of her chest and shoulders, and her skin, which took on the lightest of cinnamon shades during the summer weeks, showed no sign of the scars that I've seen that one time in the Silivren Forest. I smiled, bowed my head before her while taking the additional sirath from my neck and returned it to her, placing a respectful and grateful kiss on her hand.

Now that we all left some of the bitter weight of our pasts behind, we could face Sharish without doubt and remorse.

* * *

„ _Sadness, like drifting Feathers_

_Will float away..."_


End file.
